The induction of new members to BRICS last year has furthered its agenda of inclusivity and good for the world at large, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Tuesday as he started a two-day sojourn to Kazan, Russia, to attend the 16th BRICS Summit.
"Leaving for Kazan, Russia, to take part in the BRICS Summit. India attaches immense importance to BRICS and I look forward to wide-ranging discussions on a wide range of subjects. I also look forward to meeting various leaders there," Prime Minister Modi said in a post on social media platform X.
I am leaving today on a two-day visit to Kazan at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation to attend the 16th BRICS Summit," the Prime Minister said in his departure statement.
"India values close cooperation within BRICS, which has emerged as an important platform for dialogue and discussion on issues concerning the global developmental agenda, reformed multilateralism, climate change, economic cooperation, building resilient supply chains, promoting cultural and people-to-people connect, among others.,", he said.
Prime Minister Modi further stated that building upon the annual summit being held in July 2024 in Moscow, "my visit to Kazan will further reinforce the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia."
"I look forward to meeting other leaders from BRICS as well," he said.
This will be the first time when the group, expanded to nine members this year, with Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the UAE added after they were offered membership in last year's summit held in South Africa.
The two-day summit on "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security" will be one of the important platforms where the leaders will be able to converse on the most pressing global issues, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
He will also have bilateral talks with his counterparts from other member countries of the BRICS and guest leaders while in Kazan.
The BRICS summit in Kazan will host leaders from 24 countries and delegations of a total of 32 states, as stated by Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov-the largest foreign policy event that was ever hosted in Russia.
In addition to the summit proper, there will be discussions under the BRICS format on the subject "BRICS and the Global South: Building the Future of the World Together" with members from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders of aspiring countries, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, among others.
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