Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit virtually. During his address, he announced that Russia will assume the BRICS chair next year and outlined the theme of strengthening multilateralism for global development and security during its chairmanship. Putin mentioned that Russia plans to organize about 200 political, economic, and public events, with the BRICS Summit scheduled for October 2024 in the city of Kazan.
The BRICS Summit brought together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. While Putin did not attend the event in person, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led the country’s delegation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of the BRICS summit as a platform for discussing cooperation and institutional development among the member nations. He expressed appreciation for BRICS becoming a forum for addressing concerns of the Global South and the reform of the multilateral system. Modi also mentioned his expectation of holding bilateral meetings with other leaders present at the summit.
During his visit to South Africa, PM Modi met with President Cyril Ramaphosa to review bilateral relations and discuss coordination at multilateral bodies. The leaders expressed satisfaction with progress in various fields, including defense, agriculture, trade and investment, health, conservation, and people-to-people ties.
PM Modi is also anticipated to hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting is significant as it takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China’s President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for expanding political and security cooperation to maintain peace and tranquility. He highlighted the challenges of the geo-political situation and urged BRICS countries to consolidate their strategic partnership. Xi also called for supporting each other on core interests, enhancing coordination on major international and regional issues, and using mechanisms like the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to push for political settlements and reduce tensions.
