24-Jun-2022: PM participates in the 14th BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi led India’s participation at the 14thBRICS Summit, convened under the Chairship of President Xi Jinping of China on 23-24June 2022, in a virtual format. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa also participated in the Summit on 23 June. The High-level Dialogue on Global Development, non-BRICS engagement segment of the Summit, was held on 24 June.

On 23 June, the leaders held discussions including in fields of Counter-Terrorism, Trade, Health, Traditional Medicine, Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation, Agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education & Training, and also key issues in the global context, including the reform of the multilateral system, COVID-19 pandemic, global economic recovery, amongst others. Prime Minister called for strengthening of the BRICS Identity and proposed establishment of Online Database for BRICS documents, BRICS Railways Research Network, and strengthening cooperation between MSMEs. India will be organizing BRICS Startup event this year to strengthen connection between Startups in BRICS countries. Prime Minister also noted that as BRICS members we should understand security concerns of each other and provide mutual support in designation of terrorists and this sensitive issue should not be politicized. At the conclusion of the Summit, BRICS Leaders adopted the ‘Beijing Declaration’.

On 24 June, Prime Minister highlighted India’s development partnership with Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and from Pacific to Caribbean; India’s focus on a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based maritime space; respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations from the Indian Ocean Region to Pacific Ocean; and reform of multilateral system as large parts of Asia and all of Africa and Latin America have no voice in global decision-making. Prime Minister noted the importance of circular economy and invited citizens of participating countries to join Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE) campaign. The participating guest countries were Algeria, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Senegal, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

Earlier, in the keynote speech delivered at the Opening Ceremony of BRICS Business Forum on 22 June, Prime Minister appreciated BRICS Business Council and BRICS Women Business Alliance which continued their work despite COVID-19 Pandemic. Prime Minister also suggested the BRICS business community to further cooperate in field of technology-based solutions for social and economic challenges, Startups, and MSMEs.

21-Jun-2022: Prime Minister’s participation in the 14th BRICS Summit

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be attending the 14th BRICS Summit hosted by China in virtual format on 23-24 June 2022. This includes a High Level Dialogue on Global Development with guest countries on June 24.

BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of common concern for all developing countries. BRICS countries have regularly called for reform of the multilateral system in order 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, S&T and innovation, agriculture, technical and vocational education & training, and MSMEs. Discussions are also likely on issues like reform of the multilateral system, combating COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recovery, amongst others.

Prior to the Summit, Prime Minister will participate, by way of a recorded keynote speech, in the Opening Ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum on 22 June 2022.

9-Sep-2021: Prime Minister chairs 13th BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 13th BRICS Summit virtually today.

The theme of the Summit, chosen by India, was, BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus. 

The Summit saw the participation of all other BRICS Leaders - President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Xi Jinping of China, and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.

Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the cooperation received from BRICS partners during India's Chairmanship this year, which allowed the achievement of several new initiatives. These included the first BRICS Digital Health Summit; the first BRICS Ministerial Joint Statement on multilateral reforms; a BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan; an Agreement on cooperation in field of remote-sensing satellites; a virtual BRICS vaccine Research & Development Centre; BRICS Alliance on Green Tourism, etc. 

Highlighting the leading role that BRICS countries can play in the post-COVID global recovery, Prime Minister called for enhanced BRICS cooperation under the motto of 'Build-back Resiliently, Innovatively, Credibly and Sustainably'. 

Elaborating on these themes, Prime Minister stressed the need for accelerating 'build-back' by enhancing speed and accessibility of vaccination, creating 'resilience' by diversifying pharma and vaccine production capacities beyond the developed world, fostering 'innovation' by creatively using digital tools for public good, ensuring reform of multilateral institutions to enhance their 'credibility', and promoting 'sustainable' development by articulating a common BRICS voice on environmental and climate issues.

The leaders also discussed important regional and global issues, including recent developments in Afghanistan. There was convergence of views on the threat posed by growth of terrorism and extremism, and all BRICS partners agreed to accelerate implementation of the BRICS Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism.

At the conclusion of the Summit, the leaders adopted the 'New Delhi Declaration'.

7-Sep-2021: 13th BRICS Summit

As part of India’s ongoing Chairmanship of BRICS in 2021, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will chair the 13th BRICS Summit on 9 September 2021 in virtual format. The meeting will be attended by the President of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Jair Bolsonaro; President of Russia, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin; President of China, H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping; and President of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa. India’s National Security Adviser, Shri Ajit Doval, President of the New Development Bank, Mr. Marcos Troyjo, the pro tempore Chair of the BRICS Business Council, Shri Onkar Kanwar and pro tempore Chair of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, Dr. Sangita Reddy, will present reports on the outcomes pursued this year under their respective tracks to the Leaders during the Summit.

The theme for the Summit is ‘BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus’. India had outlined four priority areas for its Chairmanship. These are Reform of the Multilateral System, Counter Terrorism, Using Digital and Technological Tools for achieving SDGs and Enhancing People to People exchanges. In addition to these areas, the leaders will also exchange views on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other current global and regional issues.

This is the second time Prime Minister Modi will be chairing the BRICS Summit. Earlier he had chaired the Goa Summit in 2016. The Indian Chairmanship of BRICS this year coincides with the fifteenth anniversary of BRICS, as reflected in the theme for the Summit.

16-Jun-2021: IIT Bombay Hosts Conference of BRICS Network Universities as part of 13th BRICS Summit

A  three day virtual Conference of BRICS Network Universities on the theme of electric mobility  was inaugurated at IIT Bombay today. This conference is part of  the engagements that India is hosting under the education stream during its Chairmanship of the 13th BRICS Summit this year. Eighteen experts from Brazil, Russia, India, China and S. Africa will talk about various aspects of electric mobility like traffic management, hydrogen technology, hybrid vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and linkage between e-mobility and livelihoods over the next three days. Over 100 students, researchers and faculty from the BRICS Network Universities of the five member countries are expected to participate in the conference.

Delivering the plenary address Shri Nitin Gadkari, India’s  Union Minister for Road Transport  & Highways and Micro Small & Medium Enterprises  said that the transport sector in India is transforming rapidly with the growing use of bio fuels in all kinds of vehicles ranging from trucks to e-rickshaws, bicycles, e-carts and e-food stalls. The country has also made a lot of progress with regard to low cost battery technology, he said. This transformation is not only good for the sustainability and health of the environment, but is also opening up new livelihoods in the country. Shri Gadkari  called upon IITs in the country to take on research in innovative technology that can further revolutionize e-mobility. The Minister also called for greater research cooperation among the BRICS countries in this sector.

Shri Amit Khare, Secretary Higher Education, Government of India expressed  hope that these interactions between the best minds from the BRICS countries will  result in creation of a useful body of knowledge that will benefit each member country in their shared quest for sustainability and inclusive growth. He also informed about the upcoming engagements scheduled under the BRICS Education stream that include a meeting of the Governing Board of the BRICS NU on the 29th of this month, a meeting of BRICS Senior Officers dealing with Education on the 2nd of July, and  a meeting of BRICS Education Ministers on the 6th of July.

BRICS Network University is a union of higher education institutions of the five BRICS member countries, formed with the objective of enhancing educational cooperation in general, and especially in the realm of research and innovation . IIT Bombay is the lead institution of India for the BRICS Network University.

24-Jul-2018: BRICS 2018 Summit

Dates: 25 to 27 July 2018

Venue: Johannesburg

Theme: “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution”. The theme is intended to align and ensure strategic continuity with the approved themes for South Africa’s Chairmanship of both the South African Development Community (SADC) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

South Africa will host the 10th summit of the BRICS bloc, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS Summit is scheduled for 25 to 27 July 2018. As host of the summit, South Africa is able to set the agenda.

The new areas of BRICS cooperation as proposed by South Africa, are as follows:

• Establishment of a Working Group on Peacekeeping.

• Establishment of a Vaccine Research Centre for Collaboration with BRICS vaccine innovation and development partners – this is intended to be a physical research centre focused on research and development and vaccine innovation.

• Establishment of a BRICS Gender and Women’s Forum – intended as a dedicated track for gender and women’s issues, given the economic benefit to be derived from the socio-economic empowerment of women, particularly in developing countries.

• Establishment of a BRICS Tourism Track of Cooperation.

The BRICS Leaders’ Summit is convened annually with discussions representing spheres of political and socio-economic coordination, in which member countries have identified several business opportunities, economic complementarities and areas of cooperation.

The Chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S. Over and above the summit, BRICS cooperation in the past decade has expanded to include an annual programme of over 100 sectoral meetings. Cooperation among members is predicated on three levels or “tracks” of interaction, namely:

4-Sep-2017: BRICS Leaders’ Xiamen Declaration

9th BRICS summit was recently held in Xiamen, China. This is the second time the China has hosted the summit after the 2011 summit. At the end of the summit, Xiamen declaration was adopted by the leaders of the five countries.

Highlights of the Xiamen declaration:

BRICS countries will strive towards broad partnerships with emerging markets and developing countries, and pursue equal-footed and flexible practices and initiatives for dialogue and cooperation with non-BRICS countries, including through BRICS Plus cooperation.

BRICS countries have resolved to promote the development of BRICS local currency bond markets and to jointly establish a BRICS local currency bond fund and also to facilitate financial market integration.

They will also encourage explorations toward the establishment of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks. Besides, partner countries will enhance joint BRICS research, development and innovation in information and communications technology, including the internet of things, cloud computing, big data, data analytics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, 5G and their innovative applications.

They have also committed to strengthen BRICS cooperation on energy and work to foster open, flexible and transparent markets for energy commodities and technologies.

BRICS Agriculture Research Platform is proposed to be established in India.

They also called upon the international community to establish a genuinely broad counterterrorism coalition and support the UN’s central coordinating role in this regard.

Importance of people-to-people exchanges in promoting development and enhancing mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation among BRICS peoples was also emphasized.

Countries also resolved to work together to promote most effective use of fossil fuels and wider use of gas, hydro and nuclear power, which will contribute to the move towards a low emission economy, better energy access and sustainable development.