15th BRICS Summit: PM Modi And Xi Jinping seen walking and chatting Together
New Delhi, 24 August (City Times): 15th BRICS Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared a handshake and a brief chat at the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The leaders greeted each other before issuing a joint statement, walking and chatting as they headed to their seats. The friendly interaction was observed by attendees.
Previous Encounters Of Both Leaders
This handshake marks another positive encounter between the leaders. They previously exchanged pleasantries at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. Notably, this meeting followed the India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April 2020.
Challenging Relations Between India And China
India and China have been in a stand-off for the past three years due to tensions along the LAC. Relations between the two countries have faced challenges, with multiple rounds of talks to address the boundary issues in eastern Ladakh since 2020.
BRICS Summit Agenda
Prime Minister Modi arrived in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, where he addressed the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue. During the event, Xi Jinping’s absence was notable, as he was represented by his commerce minister. The summit also brought news of expansion with six new countries set to join BRICS from January 2024.
BRICS Expansion Announcement
Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will become full members of BRICS from January 2024, as announced during the summit. India, among other leaders, expressed support for this expansion, highlighting that it will strengthen the organization.
India’s Stance on Membership
Prime Minister Modi emphasized that India has always supported the expansion of BRICS. He emphasized that this addition of new members will contribute to the organization’s strength and welcomed the partnership of other countries interested in joining.
South Africa’s President Announcement
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the expansion during the summit. He confirmed the inclusion of the mentioned countries, stating that their membership will be effective from January 2024. This decision comes after consensus among the leaders.
BRICS’ Ongoing Contribution
During the summit, PM Modi also reflected on BRICS’ journey. He noted how the organization has evolved from its initial definition to now breaking barriers, revitalizing economies, inspiring innovation, creating opportunities, and shaping the future. Modi expressed India’s commitment to actively contribute to BRICS’ meaningful growth.
1. BRICS Group Welcomes New Members: BRICS, the international alliance of five countries, is expanding its membership. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that six more nations will join as full members. These countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. They will officially become part of BRICS from January 1 next year.
2. BRICS Expansion Process and Welcoming New Nations: President Ramaphosa shared this news in Johannesburg. He explained that BRICS leaders reached an agreement on this expansion. He welcomed Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to join the alliance. Their membership will start at the beginning of 2024.
3. India’s Warm Welcome to New Members: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed these new nations. He expressed happiness about their inclusion and praised their respective countries. India has historical connections with each of these nations. PM Modi believes that their collaboration will lead to a new era of cooperation and growth.
4. India’s Role in Expanding BRICS: India played a significant role in proposing and selecting new members for BRICS expansion. Prime Minister Modi presented the idea of broadening cooperation among the member nations. He emphasized cooperation in space exploration, a topic of great importance to India, as it recently achieved a soft landing on the moon.
5. Focus on Global Governance and Equity: The expansion of BRICS has been a key topic at the summit, and over 20 countries have already expressed interest in full membership. China’s President Xi Jinping also supported this expansion. He believes that by adding more nations, BRICS can contribute to making global governance fairer and more equal.
6. Call for Cooperation and Reform: President Xi emphasized the need to speed up the BRICS expansion process. He highlighted the importance of combining strengths and wisdom to improve global governance. Both India and China, along with the other member countries, are focused on enhancing cooperation and advocating for reform in various international institutions, including the World Trade Organization.
