“Schedule is still being developed…:” FS Kwatra on chances of bilateral between PM Modi, Xi Jinping on BRICS Summit sidelines

New Delhi [India], August 21 (ANI): Regarding the chances of a bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has said that the Prime Minister’s schedule is still being developed.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to South Africa and Greece, Kwatra, in a special press briefing said, “As I mentioned in my remarks, the host country South Africa has invited a large number of guest countries, besides of course the BRICS members who would be present there.”

“The Prime Minister’s schedule in terms of bilateral meetings with those leaders who would be present in South Africa is still being developed,” Kwatra said.

Notably, Prime Minister Modi will depart for the BRICS Summit tomorrow morning to join the leaders of Brazil, China and South Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Prime Minister will depart tomorrow morning for Johannesburg where he would be participating in the 15th BRICS Summit that starts tomorrow and concludes on 24th August…,” the Foreign Secretary informed during the special presser today.

It was in November last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, Indonesia.

Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries at the high-profile dinner at that time and exchanged greetings at the G20 dinner. Notably, this was the first handshake since China’s Peoples Liberation Army and the Indian Army’s standoff in eastern Ladakh in April 2020.

India and China have been in a stand-off situation for the last three years and relations at all levels have deteriorated due to the tensions on borders. The two sides have held 19 rounds of talks so far to address the boundary issues in Eastern Ladakh since 2020 post-Chinese aggression there.

Meanwhile, regarding BRICS Summit which is held under the South African Presidency this time, Foreign Secretary Kwatra stated that a business delegation from India is also travelling to the country to attend the Business Tracks meetings.

“For the 15th BRICS Summit, a business delegation from India is also travelling to South Africa to attend the Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Forum. After completing his engagements in Johannesburg, PM will travel to Greece for an official visit on 25th August at the invitation of PM of Greece,” Kwatra said.

This year’s BRICS is under the presidency of South Africa and is organising the first face-to-face summit since 2019 in Johannesburg.

South Africa became Chair of BRICS on January 1 under the theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism.”

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the BRICS 15th Summit at the invitation of South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa. 

During his visit to South Africa, PM Modi will also participate in a special event “BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue” being organized after the BRICS Summit, which will include other nations invited by South Africa, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in a press release. He will also hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will join the 15th BRICS Summit virtually while the Russian delegation will be led by foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

He will also participate in a special event with the theme “Brics – Africa outreach and Brics plus dialogue”. This is being organised after the BRICS Summit and will include dozens of countries, mostly from the African continent, invited by South Africa.