PM Modi to attend virtual BRICS summit on Chinese President's invitation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the annual summit of the five-nation grouping BRICS on June 23 and 24 following an invitation by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.

China is hosting the summit in its capacity as its chair of the grouping for the current year.

The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries in 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.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are set to attend the summit.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 14th BRICS Summit hosted by China in virtual format on June 23 and 24. This includes a high-level dialogue on global development with guest countries on June 24," the MEA said in a statement.

It said the BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of common concern for all developing countries, adding the grouping has regularly called for reform of the multilateral system to make it more representative and inclusive.

"Discussions during the 14th BRICS Summit are expected to cover intra-BRICS cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, trade, health, traditional medicine, environment, science and technology, and innovation, agriculture, technical and vocational education & training, and MSMEs," the MEA said.

It said discussions are also likely on issues like reform of the multilateral system, combating the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recovery, amongst others.

Before the summit, Modi will participate, by way of a recorded keynote speech, in the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum on Wednesday, the MEA said.