In a telephone conversation on Thursday, Modi accepted the formal invitation from the South African head of State and told him that he expected to participate in the great event of the bloc, which also includes China, Russia and Brazil, the Indian Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.

Ramaphosa briefed the Indian prime minister on the preparations for the Summit and conveyed his full support for India’s presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20), the brief text said.

The South African leader also assured his presence at the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.

On the other hand, the leaders evaluated the progress in bilateral cooperation positively at a time when both countries are celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the official source added.

They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues and agreed to stay in touch.

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