BRICS Summit significant, will seek to intensify bilateral ties: Narendra Modi

In his first multilateral engagement since he assumed office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday boarded an Air India flight to Brazil, where he is set to attend the five-nation BRICS Summit.

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha New Delhi: To take part in his first multilateral engagement since he assumed office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday left for Brazil, where he is set to attend the five-nation BRICS Summit. This will be PM Modi`s second international trip after he visited the neighbour country of Bhutan. Before boarding an Air India flight to Brazil this morning, PM Modi stressed on the significance of the five-nation summit saying, that the BRICS Summit is pivotal to world peace and also for India.

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi boards Air India flight to leave for BRICS Summit pic.twitter.com/QSuhYcMyGX

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The sixth BRICS Summit will be held on 14th and 15th July in the north-eastern coastal city of Brazil, Fortaleza and capital Brasilia. “India attaches high importance to the BRICS forum for promoting global economic growth, peace and stability,” the PM said in a statement before heading to Brazil. "I look at BRICS Summit as an opportunity to discuss with my BRICS partners how we can contribute to international efforts to address regional crises, address security threats and restore a climate of peace and stability in the world," said the PM`s statement. Mentioning the summit`s theme, “Inclusive Growth; Sustainable Development", Modi said that it will enable India to shape the post-2015 Development Agenda. Modi also hoped for successful implementation of new BRICS initiatives like New Development Bank & Contingent Reserve Arrangement. Establishment of a development bank and reforms of the United Nations and international financial organisations are among the top agendas of the sixth BRICS summit. The summit will also provide PM Modi his first opportunity to meet with his counterparts of four other participating nations including South African President Jacob Zuma, Brazil`s Dilma Rousseff, China`s Xi Jinping and Russia`s Vladimir Putin. The meeting may script a new chapter in the way India deals with its bilateral relations as Modi has said that he is looking forward to “meaningful meeting” with the world leaders. “The Summit will also be an occasion for my first meetings as Prime Minister with the leaders of our important global partners – Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa. I look forward to meaningful meetings with them to intensify bilateral relations and exchange views on global and regional developments,” the statement said. On his trip to Brazil, Modi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Adviser A K Doval, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram.  The five-nation bloc of BRICS accounts for 40 per cent of world population and a combined GDP of USD 24 trillion.