India attaches immense importance to BRICS: Modi as he leaves for Russia to attend the summit

Modi will be in Russia on October 22 and 23.

This is the Prime Minister's 11th visit to the BRICS Summit. The last BRICS Summit he had attended was in South Africa in 2023.

Leaving for Russia, Modi posted on X, "Leaving for Kazan, Russia, to take part in the BRICS Summit. India attaches immense importance to BRICS, and I look forward to extensive discussions on a wide range of subjects. I also look forward to meeting various leaders there."

On the sidelines of the summit, Modi is expected to meet several world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping at a time the two Asian giants arrived at an agreement over patrolling and resolution of the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Speaking on the agreement, Vikram Misry, the foreign secretary of India, said as quoted by The Hindu, "Over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums, and as a result of these discussions, agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020."

The summit engages leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as well as Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE.

Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE were invited as the members of the group effective from January 1, 2024.

Though Argentina was also invited to join the camp, the country's new president Javier Milei opted out of it after taking office in December 2023.

The BRICS, which was founded as BRIC without South Africa in 2009, aims to bring influential developing countries as a counter to the wealthier nations particularly of North America and Western Europe.

The extended group's combined population forms about 45 percent of the total estimated in the world.

The combined economies of the country account for 28 percent of the global economy.

Speaking on the challenge from BRICS, the United States on Monday said it was not looking at the group as a rival but aims to work with partners across the world.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "So, look, what we’re focused on is on the work- — the — working with partners around the world and to build the broadcast [broadest] and deepest coalitions possible to help achieve our shared goals.

"That’s what we’re going to be focused on. And, you know, we’re not looking at BRICS as an — evolving into some kind of geopolitical rival. That’s not how we look at it — to the United States or anyone else."