PM Modi to Participate in BRICS Summit in Johannesburg

World

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, August 3 decided to visit Johannesburg in South Africa to attend the BRICS Summit that is scheduled to be held on August 22-24. His decision came after a call from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Earlier it was speculated that like Russian President Vladimir Putin, he will also participate in BRICS Summit virtually.

PM Modi accepted the invitation from the South African president and said to Ramaphosa that he looked forward to his visit to Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit, as per the Press Release issued from the PMO.

The press release further stated that Cyril Ramaphosa expressed South Africa’s full support for India’s all initiatives as a part of its G20 Presidency. He also told PM Modi that he looked forward to visiting India to participate in G20 Summit that is scheduled on September 9 & 10. It further added that both leaders also evaluated the progress and development of bilateral relations and cooperation.

The two countries are celebrating 30 years of their bilateral diplomatic relations this year.

Meanwhile Russian President in light of the arrest order issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 17 of last year for allegedly plotting to relocate children from Ukraine to Russia, Putin decided to attend the summit virtually but not physically. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Johannesburg to take part in the conclave.

BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, and China. Ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in February 2022 geopolitical tension has been on the rise between Russia and Western countries. Russia in recent months supported China’s push to expand the BRICS and add new members. His support meant turning BRICS into a counterbalance to the United States and European Union on various international matters.

While India has been reluctant to expeditious expansion of BRICS notifying that we should first make the rules and regulations for the expansion. Brazil also thinks the same way as India.

EMA spokesperson Arindam Bakshi while busting foreign media’s speculations which claim that India is against the expansion of BRISC and PM would not visit South Africa to attend the summit, stated that these all are “baseless speculation”, and PM Modi himself tweeted about his visit to Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit.

Although various countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Indonesia have shown their interest in joining BRICS. Now it will be interesting to see how India’s role in the expansion and other conducts of the block.

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