BRICS Summit: PM Modi Sees Indian Flag Lying On Ground, Here's What He Did - Watch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in South Africa's Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday noticed the Indian flag lying on the floor during the group photo at the BRICS Summit in South Africa's Johannesburg. He immediately picked it up and kept it in his pocket. As soon as PM Modi picked up the national flag, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who had already stepped on his country's flag, also picked up his flag. The flags of the member countries of the BRICS were kept to denote the standing position of the global leaders. 

VIDEO | During the group photo at BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, PM Modi noticed the Indian Tricolour on the ground, which was kept to denote standing position of leaders. PM Modi immediately picked the national flag and kept it with him. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa,… pic.twitter.com/9lDMUhD8hs

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with Cyril Ramaphosa during which they reviewed the progress made in bilateral ties, exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues and also on ways to work jointly to strengthen the voice of the Global South.

"Both leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in various fields including defence, agriculture, trade and investment, health, conservation and people-to-people ties," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release.

Modi and Ramaphosa also exchanged views on continued coordination in multilateral bodies and regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. Ramaphosa expressed full support for India's G20 presidency and appreciated India's initiative for giving the African Union full membership of G-20, the release said, adding that the president conveyed that he looked forward to visiting New Delhi for the G-20 Summit.

Had an excellent meeting with President @CyrilRamaphosa. We discussed a wide range of issues aimed at deepening India-South Africa relations. Trade, defence and investment linkages featured prominently in our discussions. We will keep working together to strengthen the voice of… pic.twitter.com/xhxEClr1Dl — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2023

The G-20 Summit will be held in New Delhi from September 8-10. It will be the first-ever G20 summit to be held in India as well as in South Asia.

Modi congratulated Ramaphosa on the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit and accepted the president's invitation to pay a state visit to South Africa at a mutually convenient date, the release said.

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a three-day visit to South Africa and Greece, reached Johannesburg 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.

This is the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is notable that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not travelled to Johannesburg for the annual summit of the BRICS nations comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.