Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out on Tuesday for South Africa to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit. The summit presents an opportunity for him to engage with Chinese President Xi Jinping, although a bilateral meeting between the two leaders remains unconfirmed.
In his departure statement, PM Modi highlighted the significant collaboration achieved within BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) across diverse sectors. He emphasized BRICS’ role as a platform for discussing global development concerns and multilateral system reforms, particularly for the Global South.
This marks the first in-person BRICS summit since 2019, with previous meetings held virtually due to the pandemic. The Prime Minister expressed enthusiasm about identifying future collaborative avenues and reviewing institutional growth during the summit.
During his stay in Johannesburg, Modi will also take part in BRICS–Africa Outreach and BRICS + Dialogue events, engaging with guest countries invited to the summit. While bilateral meetings are confirmed with some leaders, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, there is no definitive news on a meeting between Modi and President Xi.
Despite the uncertainty, India and China have conducted multiple high-level military discussions to address the border tensions in eastern Ladakh. If the two leaders do convene for bilateral talks during the summit, it would be their first since the onset of the border standoff in 2021.
Following his South Africa visit, Modi is scheduled to travel to Greece on August 25, where he will meet with Prime Minister Mitsotakis. Reflecting on the upcoming trip, Modi emphasized the historic connections between India and Greece, spanning over two millennia. He anticipates that this visit will usher in a fresh era of multifaceted cooperation between the two nations.
