BRICS: PM Modi leaves for South Africa, will participate in the 15th BRICS summit, know the complete program
PM Modi will be in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24 to attend the BRICS summit. During this he can meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for South Africa on Tuesday morning to attend the 15th BRICS Summit. He will attend the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August. For the first time since 2019, leaders of BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will appear on one platform. The BRICS summit will be the first to be held in person after the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent global restrictions.
PM Modi will be in Johannesburg till 24 August. During this he can meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit is being followed by Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue, which will be attended by other countries invited from the South African side. PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg.
PM Modi's statement before starting the two-nation tour
Before leaving for a visit to South Africa and Greece, PM Modi said in a statement, 'I will attend the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in Johannesburg under the chairmanship of South Africa from 22-24 August at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Will be on tour of South Africa till 2023. I also look forward to holding bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg.
Regarding his visit to Greece, PM Modi said, 'I will visit Athens on 25 August 2023 at the invitation of Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis. This will be my first visit to this ancient country. I have the honor of being the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Greece after 40 years.
No direct answer on Modi-Jinping meeting at present
From Johannesburg, PM Modi will proceed to Greece, where he will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on expanding overall ties between the two countries, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said. Asked about the possibility of a bilateral meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Kwatra said, the PM's schedule is still being worked out. There are possibilities of meeting between the two.
India positive about expansion of BRICS group
Ahead of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, India said it is positive about the expansion of the five-member BRICS grouping. Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, as far as BRICS expansion is concerned, we have been clear from the beginning that our intention is positive and open when it comes to BRICS expansion. He said, so far 23 countries have applied for its membership. These are the subject of ongoing discussions among the Sherpas of BRICS in South Africa and I would not like to speculate on the outcome of the discussions.
What is the agenda of the meeting?
The BRICS summit this time will focus on the areas of political and socio-economic coordination. In this, the member countries will identify trade opportunities, economic supplies and areas of cooperation. South Africa as Chair of BRICS is mutually focusing on accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism. It also includes reforming global institutions and strengthening the meaningful participation of women in peace processes. As per reports, more than 40 countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Indonesia, Algeria, Egypt and Ethiopia have shown interest in joining the BRICS grouping. The expansion of the bloc is likely to be discussed on the agenda of the summit.
Russia, facing diplomatic isolation over the war with Ukraine, has backed the expansion. China has also supported the expansion of the grouping. At the same time, India's biggest concern is that BRICS should not become a 'China-centric' block. Earlier in August, Brazilian President De Silva had said that he was in favor of more countries joining the BRICS group.
Hello Modi ji...Rhodes-Kirsten welcomed before the BRICS summit
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to South Africa for the 15th BRICS Summit, Proteas cricket legends Gary Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes have released video messages welcoming PM Modi to the country. Rhodes recalled spending two wonderful weeks with his family in 'Incredible India'. Welcoming PM Modi in Hindi, he said, "Namaskar Modi...Welcome to the GBRICS conference." We, as South Africans, know that you have a big role to play on the international political and economic scene and we thank you for your input." While former Team India coach Gary Kirsten said, "Your more and more in South Africa It is my pleasure to welcome your delegation.
BRICS economy reaching the combined GDP of G-7: Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that BRICS is the engine of growth of the world and with a significant change in the manufacturing process, the economy of this five-member organization is about to reach the combined GDP of G-7 countries. Goyal was addressing the inaugural function of the BRICS Manufacturing Business Summit on Monday. The 21st century has seen significant changes in what we manufacture, how we manufacture and for whom, Goyal said in front of representatives from over 30 countries present at the event.
Significantly, BRICS includes the five largest developing countries of the world. These groups represent 41 percent of the global population, 24 percent of global GDP, and 16 percent of global trade.