Brics Summit 2023 Live Updates: Brics nations agree to expand developing world bloc

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for accelerating the expansion of the Brics grouping besides efforts to jointly fend off risks by increasing the political and security cooperation among the countries of the five-nation bloc. Xi, who skipped his attendance at the Brics Business Forum on Tuesday sparking speculation about his absence, attended the Summit here on Wednesday where he pitched for more political and security cooperation among the member countries. He was the only leader absent from the Brics Business Forum on Tuesday, with Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao reading a speech in his place that had a hardline message apparently aimed at the US. Asked why Xi had not attended the forum, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin sidestepped the question, telling reporters in Beijing on Wednesday that Xi's speech had been delivered. While his speech at the Business Forum hit out at the US saying that “some country, obsessed with maintaining its hegemony, has gone out of its way to cripple the emerging and developing countries”, he said in his speech at the summit that "the Cold War mentality is still haunting our world, and the geopolitical situation is getting tense." He said development should not be a privilege reserved for a few but a right for all countries, and he supported the inclusion of more nations in Brics. "I am glad to see the growing enthusiasm of developing countries about participating in BRICS cooperation. And quite a number of them have applied to join … we need to accelerate the Brics expansion process to bring more countries into the Brics family,” Xi said, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. (PTI)

Leaders of the Brics bloc of leading developing countries have agreed mechanisms for considering new members, South Africa said on Wednesday, paving the way for dozens of interested nations to join the group which has pledged to champion the "global south". Agreement on expansion could help lend global clout to Brics - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - at a time when geopolitical polarisation is spurring efforts by Beijing and Moscow to forge it into a viable counterweight to the West. "We have agreed on the matter of expansion," South Africa's foreign minister Naledi Pandor said on Ubuntu Radio, a station run by her ministry, following a meeting by Brics leaders at athree-day summit. (Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hoped that India's proposal to accord permanent membership of the G20 to the African Union will be supported by all the Brics nations. In his address at the Brics ((Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) summit in Johannesburg, Modi said India is according "highest priority" to the issues of countries of the Global South under its G20 presidency. India is hosting the G20 summit on September 9 and 10. All the Brics nations are permanent members of the G20. "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," PM Modi said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin took multiple shots at the West on the opening day of an economic summit in South Africa, using a prerecorded speech that was aired on giant screens on Tuesday to rail at what he called “illegitimate sanctions” on his country and threaten to cut off Ukraine's grain exports permanently. Putin, the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to the war in Ukraine, did not travel to Johannesburg for the summit of the Brics group of emerging economies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday showed respect to the tricolour during the Brics summit in South Africa's Johannesburg. In a short clip from the summit, PM Modi can be seen ascending to a stage with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.To denote the standing position, each leader's place was marked with the country’s flag. On seeing the tricolour on the stage, PM Modi picks up the flag to avoid stepping on it and keeps it in his pocket.

The BRICS leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre to attend the plenary sessions. Prior to attending the sessions, the leaders posed for a Brics family photograph. Significantly, PM Modi and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping were seen standing apart from each other as South African President CyrilRamaphosa held their hands together. Other than PM Modi, Jinping and Ramaphosa, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, and Brazil President Lula da Silva were also in the Brics group photo. The plenaries are scheduled to be followed by a cultural performance and a banquet dinner hosted by President Ramaphosa (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he had an excellent meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and discussed a range of issues aimed at deepening the bilateral ties and also working jointly to strengthen the voice of the Global South. Prime Minister Modi, who is on a three-day visit to South Africa and Greece, reached here on Tuesday at the invitation of President Ramaphosa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit being held under the South African Chairmanship from August 22-24.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday the BRICS group of emerging countries is not meant to challenge other international coalitions, such as the G7, or the United States, but to “organize” the so-called Global South.

Inspite of being present in South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the key meeting of BRICS Business Forum which was held in Johannesburg and was attended by the leaders of the grouping.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday he wanted Argentina to join the Brics group of emerging countries, as Brazil's neighbor struggles with a lack of foreign reserves.

The new wave of protectionism and the subsequent impact of unilateral measures that are incompatible with WTO rules undermine global economic growth and development, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said as he opened the 15th Brics Summit on Tuesday.Ramaphosa joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Lula Da Silva and China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao -- who spoke on behalf of his President Xi Jinping -- on stage. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his address virtually after the leaders met for the Brics Business Forum Leaders Dialogue.

Coinciding with PM Narendra Modi's visit to South Africa for the Brics summit, an Indian warship is now at Durban in a move to boost goodwill, mutual cooperation and "interoperability" between the navies of the two countries.INS Sunayna, a Saryu-class patrol vessel with a displacement of 2,200-tonne, reached Durban and conducted a "passage exercise" with South African warship SAS King Sekhukhune I on Monday."INS Sunayna's visit, apart from commemorating 30 years of diplomatic partnership between India and South Africa, is aimed at enhancing interoperability, jointness and mutual cooperation," an official said.

The leaders from the five-member group of nations known as BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are beginning a three-day summit in Johannesburg on Tuesday, where they are discussing expanding the club that harbors ambitions of becoming a geopolitical alternative to Western-led forums such as the Group of 7.The latest gathering of leaders has garnered a level of international interest rarely seen since the group was first formed 14 years ago.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine along with a trade war between Beijing and Washington have reinvigorated the debate over whether the bloc will remain a loose trade alliance or become a new international coalition. Dozens of countries have expressed interest in joining, including Argentina, Nigeria, Iran, Belarus, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The candidates are as diverse as the BRICS bloc, which represents 40% of the world’s population and one-quarter of its economy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were both absent as leaders from the BRICS group of emerging economies started a three-day summit in South Africa on Tuesday.

Putin’s travel to Johannesburg was complicated by an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest over the abduction of children from Ukraine. His participation as the bloc named for member nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa opened its first in-person meeting since before the COVID-19 pandemic came in the form of a 17-minute prerecorded speech.

Xi, who was in South Africa and held a bilateral morning meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, did not join his host and the leaders of Brazil and India for a business forum at the primary summit venue. No reason was given for his absence, and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao read Xi's speech.

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday he wanted Argentina to join the BRICS group of emerging countries, as Brazil's neighbor struggles with a lack of foreign reserves.