Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has underscored India’s critical role in BRICS, highlighting its significant contributions to economic growth, sustainable development, and reforms in global governance. Misri made these comments during a media briefing concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Russia for the 16th BRICS summit.
Misri stated, “The Prime Minister will leave for Kazan tomorrow to attend the 16th BRICS Summit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This year’s theme focuses on strengthening multilateralism for equitable global development and security.” He underlined India’s role as a founding member of BRICS, highlighting its active participation in all initiatives and activities since the organization’s formation. According to Misri, India significantly enriches BRICS, and its efforts have been instrumental in advancing the group’s objectives in various sectors.
He further articulated India’s view of BRICS as a critical representation of global multipolarity. “We attach great significance to our participation and endeavors within the BRICS framework, which we see as crucial for addressing global challenges while also contributing to the establishment of a more equitable and inclusive international order,” Misri remarked.
Discussing the summit’s agenda, Misri explained that this meeting marks the first summit since BRICS expanded in Johannesburg last year. Scheduled to commence on October 22, the main sessions will occur on October 23, featuring a closed plenary in the morning followed by an open plenary session dedicated to the summit’s central theme. Leaders are anticipated to adopt the Kazan Declaration, a document currently being negotiated, which will outline BRICS’s future direction.
The summit will conclude on October 24, but Prime Minister Modi is expected to return on October 23. He is likely to engage in several bilateral discussions on the summit’s sidelines, with arrangements still in progress.
BRIC, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, first convened in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2006. Following a series of high-level dialogues, the inaugural BRIC summit took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. The group transitioned to BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa at the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York in September 2010. Recently, on January 1 of this year, BRICS welcomed four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.