New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi held 15 formal bilateral meetings with heads of state and government over three days around the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, apart from several informal interactions with visiting leaders and representatives of international institutions. India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13 under the theme "Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". The summit brought 13 world leaders and 17 delegations to the national capital, giving India an opportunity to pursue both multilateral priorities and separate bilateral engagements.
Modi's diplomatic engagements began with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met for the second time in less than a month following their interaction at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit on August 31. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in defence, energy, nuclear power and critical minerals, while also discussing efforts to achieve the bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030. The discussions also covered the delivery of the fifth S-400 air defence regiment, upgrades to the BrahMos missile system and the possible supply of long-range RVV-BD air-to-air missiles. India and Russia also discussed measures to address the trade imbalance, increase the movement of skilled Indian workers to Russia and strengthen cooperation in areas such as fertilisers, steel and railway supply chains.
Modi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the summit. The discussions came amid the continuing conflict involving Iran and concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for global energy supplies. India reiterated its support for dialogue and diplomacy, while the two sides discussed Chabahar port, regional connectivity, trade and energy security. A meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres focused on global conflicts, reform of multilateral institutions and issues concerning developing countries. On Saturday, Modi held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh before meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi's visit attracted particular attention as it marked his first trip to India in nearly seven years. His previous visit was in October 2019 for an informal summit with Modi in Mamallapuram. During their meeting, Modi and Xi welcomed the gradual improvement in bilateral ties and agreed that India and China should view each other as partners rather than rivals. Modi stressed, however, that peace and tranquillity along the border remained essential for further development of the relationship. The leaders also discussed trade, market access, supply chains and greater mobility between the two countries. Modi's bilateral engagements continued on Sunday with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He also met leaders and representatives from the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Burundi, Nigeria and Uganda. His discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa included bilateral cooperation as well as issues affecting the Global South.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Saudi Arabia's leadership did not attend the summit, with the two countries represented by their foreign ministers. Besides the 15 formal bilateral meetings, Modi held several pull-aside conversations with other visiting leaders and representatives of international institutions. He also interacted with officials from the New Development Bank and participants at the BRICS Business Forum. The intensive diplomatic schedule allowed India to advance bilateral priorities while using its BRICS chairship to push a broader agenda focused on resilient supply chains, greater use of local currencies in trade and reforms in international institutions to strengthen the voice of developing countries. The meetings also provided Modi an opportunity to convey India's positions on the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, with New Delhi continuing to call for de-escalation and a return to dialogue. The pace of the engagements reflected India's effort to use the BRICS summit not only for the grouping's wider political and economic agenda but also to pursue concrete bilateral outcomes.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.