India-China, Global South Issues In Focus As PM Modi Leaves For Johannesburg To Attend BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Johannesburg today (22 August) for the BRICS summit, where there is anticipation of a potential meeting between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This would be their first official bilateral meeting since the border standoff began in May 2020.

While the schedule is still being finalised, officials have not ruled out the possibility of a meeting between the two leaders, Indian Express reported.

The BRICS summit is being held in-person this time, marking a shift from three years of virtual meetings.

One of the key topics on the agenda is the expansion of BRICS, with approximately 23 countries having expressed interest in joining the grouping.

Prior to the visit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra emphasized that India maintains a positive and open-minded approach towards the expansion of BRICS.

Discussions are underway among the Sherpas of the BRICS regarding the modalities for including new members into the group. The outcome of these discussions is yet to be determined.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the summit, he will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Upon arrival in the afternoon of 22 August, he will engage in the BRICS Business Forum leaders' dialogue, followed by a BRICS Leaders' Retreat in the evening.

The leaders' retreat is expected to involve discussions on global developments and the concerns arising from them.

In his departure statement on Wednesday, PM Modi said that BRICS has been pursuing a strong cooperation agenda across various sectors.

"We value that BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of concern for the entire Global South, including development imperatives and reform of the multilateral system," PM Modi said.

He added that the Summit will provide a useful opportunity for BRICS to identify future areas of cooperation and review institutional development.

"During my stay in Johannesburg, I will also participate in BRICS–Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue event that will be held as part of the BRICS Summit activities," he said.

"I look forward to interacting with a number of guest countries that have been invited to participate in this event," he added.