PM Modi-Xi to come face to face at 12 BRICS Summit tomorrow

New Delhi, Nov 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the 12th BRICS summit to be hosted by Russia.

The Ministry of External Affairs said at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, PM Narendra Modi will be attending the 12th BRICS summit hosted by Russia. The theme would be Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative growth. The summit will be held in a virtual format on November 17.

During the 12th Summit, held in the backdrop of the 75th Anniversary of UN and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders would be discussing intra-BRICS cooperation and key issues in the global context, including the reform of the multilateral system, the MEA also said.

Further the MEA said that the summit would also discuss measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing pandemic, cooperation in counter terrorism, trade, health, energy and people to people exchanges.

This would be for the second time this month that Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President, Xi Jinping would be coming face to face since the tensions broke between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. The last time the leaders met virtually was at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. There was no bi-lateral as the summit was held in a virtual format.

According to an official statement issued by Russia's Presidency in the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), "The theme of the meeting of the leaders of BRICS countries is 'BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth'."

The purpose of the Russian BRICS Chairmanship in 2020, as it is for multifaceted cooperation between the BRICS countries, is to contribute to raising living standards and quality of life of our people, the statement said.

"Despite the current global situation due to the spread of the coronavirus infection, the activities under the Russian BRICS Chairmanship in 2020 are carried out in a consistent manner. Since January 2020 more than 60 events have been organised, including via videoconferencing," said noted Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Organising Committee to Prepare and Support Russia's SCO Presidency in 2019-2020 and BRICS Chairmanship in 2020.12th BRICS Summit to be held on November 17

The BRICS Summit will be the "jewel-in-the-crown event" of the Russian BRICS Chairmanship, which will provide impetus for further strengthening cooperation together with our partners to ensure the well-being of BRICS countries, Kobyakov added.