Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Kazan, Russia on Tuesday to attend the 16th BRICS summit. This will be the first summit of the group after its expansion last year. The summit will begin on Tuesday and the main day of deliberations will be on Wednesday. Before PM Modi left for Russia, India said that India is very important for BRICS. Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts from BRICS member countries and invited leaders in Kazan. Apart from PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping is also going to Russia for the BRICS Summit.
The BRICS grouping consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (joined in 2010) and now includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “India is of great importance to BRICS and its contribution has played a vital role in shaping BRICS efforts in areas such as economic growth, sustainable development and global governance reform.”
The summit will begin on Tuesday and the main day of deliberations will be on Wednesday. “We attach great importance to our participation and activities within BRICS, as we see it as a key expression of global multipolarity,” Misri said.
The Foreign Secretary said the group also serves as an important forum to address global challenges, while also contributing to shaping a fairer, more inclusive and open international order. “The leaders are also expected to adopt the Kazan Declaration, which will pave the way forward for BRICS,” he said.
Will there be bilateral talks between Jinping and Modi?
Apart from PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping is also going to Russia for the BRICS summit to be held in Russia. On Monday, China said on Jinping’s visit to Russia that the group representing emerging economies remains a positive and stable force committed to upholding multilateralism. However, the question related to the meeting between Jinping and PM Modi was avoided.
China’s Foreign Ministry refrained from commenting on the possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Russia. “If anything comes to light, we will inform you,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference.
