Addressing the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India's backing for the expansion of BRICS.

"India fully supports the expansion of BRICS, we welcome moving forward with consensus on this," said PM Modi.

"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 added.

Comprising the 55 member states spanning the African continent, the African Union (AU) holds substantial influence as an organization.

In the preceding month of June, Prime Minister Modi initiated correspondence with the leaders of the G20 nations, advocating for the inclusion of the African Union as a full-fledged member of the association. This proposition gained official recognition as it was formally incorporated into the draft leaders' declaration during the third G20 Sherpas' meeting held in Hampi, Karnataka, from July 13 to 16.

At the summit, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the necessity for BRICS countries to gear their societies towards future readiness, thereby fostering a future-ready identity for the group. Acknowledging the pivotal role of technology, he underscored its significance in advancing these collective pursuits.

“We welcome the move to give special importance to the countries of the Global South in BRICS under the chairmanship of South Africa. This is not just the aspiration, but also the need of the present times. India has also given importance to this subject under its G20 presidency. One Earth One Family One Future - we are trying to move forward with all countries on this mantra. In the Voice of Global South summit in January this year, 125 countries participated and shared their concerns and prior.

Ahead of the plenary session, PM Modi held bilateral talks with South Africa president Cyril Ramaphosa. The MEA readout said, "Both sides also exchanged views on continued coordination in multilateral bodies and regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. President Ramaphosa expressed full support for India’s G20 presidency and appreciated India’s initiative to give the African Union full membership of G-20. He conveyed that he looked forward to visiting New Delhi for the G-20 Summit,".

Prime Minister Modi affirmed the commitment of both nations to amplify the influence of the global south. Discussions encompassed sustained collaboration in multilateral forums and shared concerns on regional and global matters.

After BRICS engagements, Prime Minister Modi will embark on an official visit to Greece on August 25th, marking the first Indian Prime Minister's visit to the country in four decades.

Image source: The Economic Times