Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for Delhi following his participation in the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan.
During the summit, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with key leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The BRICS leaders engaged in productive discussions focusing on strengthening multilateralism, countering terrorism, fostering economic growth, promoting sustainable development, and addressing the concerns of the Global South. The leaders also welcomed the addition of 13 new BRICS partner countries to the group.
In his address, PM Modi highlighted that the summit took place amid significant global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, and cyber threats, increasing the expectations placed on BRICS. He urged the group to adopt a people-centric approach in tackling these issues.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations, underscoring the need for a unified approach to combat terrorism.
PM Modi also stressed the need for reforms in global governance. He recalled India’s efforts during its G20 presidency, particularly the Voice of Global South Summits, and urged BRICS to prioritize the concerns of developing nations.
He said the positive impact of the New Development Bank’s regional presence, including its office in GIFT City, India. PM Modi further highlighted BRICS’ contributions to economic growth, particularly in trade facilitation, resilient supply chains, e-commerce, and Special Economic Zones.
The Prime Minister called for prioritizing small and medium enterprises and expressed confidence that the BRICS Startup Forum—an Indian initiative set to launch this year—would contribute meaningfully to the group’s economic agenda.
PM Modi outlined India’s recent green initiatives, such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Mission LIFE, and the Green Credit initiative announced during COP28. He invited BRICS members to participate in these initiatives.
He congratulated President Putin for successfully hosting the summit and extended his best wishes to Brazil, which will assume the BRICS presidency. The summit concluded with the adoption of the ‘Kazan Declaration.’
This visit marked PM Modi’s second trip to Russia in three months. His previous visit in April was for the annual bilateral summit between India and Russia.
With the summit concluded, PM Modi is now en route to Delhi.
(Inputs from ANI)