PM Modi to attend 12th BRICS Summit to discuss counter-terrorism, COVID-19 measures

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the virtual 12th BRICS Summit on November 17 hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on November 16, PM Modi will join the meet under the theme “Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth” while complying with Putin’s invitation. The meeting among Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa’s leaders comes in the backdrop of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN) and while the world is battling with COVID-19 pandemic. 

MEA statement said, “At the invitation of President Putin, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be attending the 12th BRICS Summit hosted by Russia, under the theme "Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth” on 17 November 2020. The meeting will be held in a virtual format.”

Moreover, the leaders of all the participating nations would be discussing the intra-BRICS cooperation especially in dealing with the essential issues on the international level such as the multilateral system, and the measures taken to facilitate the impact of the global health crisis. The Ministry of External Affairs also said in the statement that BRICS Summit would include discussions on cooperation in Counter-Terrorism, trade, health, energy along with people to people exchanges. 

“During the 12th Summit, held in the backdrop of the 75th Anniversary of UN and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders would be discussing intra-BRICS cooperation and key issues in the global context, including the reform of the multilateral system, measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation in Counter Terrorism, trade, health, energy and people to people exchanges,” MEA said.

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India will host 13th BRICS Summit

After November 17, India will be taking over the chairship of the BRICS, which would also be the third BRICS Presidency for the nation since its inception. India held the BRICS Chairship in 2012 and 2016. Therefore, it will be hosting the 13th BRICS Sumit in 2021. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan said multilateral cooperation is required to overcome challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers of the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) met on November 13 through a virtual platform to discuss S & T cooperation among the member countries. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia organized the meeting, Russian Federation being the Chair for the 12th BRICS Summit. 

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