Giving details about the PM’s trip, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said the theme of this year’s summit is: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism”.
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The leaders of the BRICS nations meet in Johannesburg, South Africa, this week, as interest in the group grows. The economic bloc, which boasts three continents, almost 50% of one-third of the world’s population and 23% of global GDP. It is looking to boost its influence and reshape the geopolitics
The state visit will be Xi’s second international trip of 2023, after making an official trip to Russia in March. “Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Monday for the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, and a state visit to South Africa,” Xinhua news agency reported.
Apart from participating in discussions on issues related to economic cooperation, food security and Brics expansion, PM Modi is also expected to underscore at the summit the need for member-states to respect each other’s security interests and to speak in one voice against terrorism. It will be the
The BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are looking to increase their global influence by adding new members. At an annual summit in Johannesburg, the group will begin the process of extending its membership beyond the five founding nations. Potential candidates include
First in-person summit in 3 years
This will be the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“For the 15th BRICS Summit, a business delegation from India is also travelling to South Africa to attend the Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Forum,” said Kwatra.
When asked about the chances of a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit, Kwatra said the host country has invited a large number of guest countries, besides BRICS members.
“The PM’s schedule, in terms of bilateral meetings with those leaders who would be present in South Africa is still being developed,” he added.
PM Modi will also participate in a special event with the theme “Brics – Africa outreach and Brics plus dialogue”. This is being organised after the BRICS Summit and will include dozens of countries, mostly from the African continent, invited by South Africa.
This will be PM Modi’s third visit to South Africa and the trip marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa.
After completing his engagements in Johannesburg, the PM will travel to Greece for an official visit on August 25 at the invitation of PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Question over Putin’s attendance
China’s President Xi Jinping will also be attending the summit in person.
It remains to be seen whether Russian President Vladimir Putin makes the trip as the International Criminal Court (ICC), of which South Africa is a member, has put out an arrest warrant for the Kremlin leader over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Putin is likely to appear on a video link and the Russian delegation will be led by his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Key agenda items
Expansion of BRICS and use of national currency for trading and economic activity among member countries are among the key agendas of discussion.
“As far as the agenda is concerned, there are many issues that are being discussed and also reported mostly the next expansion item on the agenda. And second, is the use of national currency for trading and economic activity amongst the BRICS countries,” India’s BRICS Sherpa Dammu Ravi told ANI.
“Development dimension and issues crucial and critical for the Global South will also be part of the discussion. PM Modi’s has always emphasised that solutions and challenges for the Global South have to be collectively worked on together,” Ravi said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch South Africa’s Johannesburg decked up for 15th BRICS, PM Modi to visit
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