New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that for a “future-ready” BRICS, the societies of these five countries will have to be “future-ready” and extended India’s support to the expansion of the grouping based on consensus.
Addressing the annual summit of leaders of BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi, also hoped that India’s proposal to make the African Union a permanent member of the G20 will be supported by BRICS member nations.
“We will have to make our societies future-ready to make BRICS future-ready,” he said at the meet in Johannesburg.
Welcoming the move to give special importance to countries of the Global South under the South African presidency of the BRICS, Modi said India has given the “highest priority” to the countries of the Global South under its G20 presidency as well.
India fully supports the expansion of BRICS and welcomes the move to take forward the proposal based on consensus, he said.
The Prime Minister said the BRICS embarked on a long and amazing journey in the last two decades and highlighted how the New Development Bank of the grouping is playing an important role in carrying forward developmental activities in the Global South.
India suggested measures in areas of Railway research networks, and cooperation among MSMEs and start-ups and there has been significant progress in these fields, Modi said.
Hope India’s proposal for permanent G20 membership to African Union gets support from BRICS: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hoped that India’s proposal to accord permanent membership of the G20 to the African Union will be supported by all the BRICS nations.
In his address at the BRICS ((Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) summit in Johannesburg, Modi said India is according “highest priority” to the issues of countries of the Global South under its G20 presidency.
India is hosting the G20 summit on September 9 and 10. All the BRICS nations are permanent members of the G20.
“We have also proposed to give permanent membership of G20 to the African Union. I am sure all the BRICS partners are also together in the G20 and all will support our proposal,” Modi said.
The African Union (AU) is an influential organisation consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent.
In June, Modi wrote to the leaders of the G20 countries pitching for giving the African Union full membership of the grouping at its upcoming summit in New Delhi.
The proposal was formally included in the draft leaders’ declaration at the third G20 Sherpas’ meeting that took place in Karnataka’s Hampi from July 13 to 16.
Last month, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant told PTI that Prime Minister Modi’s proposal to make the African Union a permanent member of the G-20 has received an overwhelming response from the grouping.
In his address, Modi also referred to India’s hosting of the Voice of Global South summit in January.
“125 countries participated in the Voice of Global South summit held in January this year, sharing their concerns and priorities,” he said.
The Prime Minister also complimented South Africa for giving special importance to countries of the Global South under its presidency of BRICS.
“The countries of the Global South under the chairmanship of South Africa have been given special importance in BRICS. We heartily welcome it,” Modi said.
“This is not only the expectation of the present time, but also the need. India has given top priority to this subject in its G-20 chairmanship,” he said.
Modi arrived in Johannesburg on Tuesday on a three-day visit primarily to attend the BRICS summit.
The BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.
