Modi Hopes to Build Bridges for New Ties Using BRICS

NEW DELHI: A day before the BRICS summit in Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he is looking forward to building bridges to new partnerships and finding common resolve and solutions to entrenched problems of the region.

On the sidelines of the event, Modi will hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders. Writing on his Facebook page, the PM said they will discuss ways to address “pressing international and regional challenges that stand in the way of our goals”. “I am optimistic that the BRICS Summit will strengthen intra-BRICS cooperation and advance our common agenda for development, peace, stability and reform,” the PM said.

He added that new initiatives will be launched in Goa by BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) as it marks the successful operationalisation of initiatives like the BRICS New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement.’

The PM noted that India is facilitating an outreach Summit with the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sir Lanka and Thailand. Referring to India-Russia Annual Summit, the PM said Putin’s visit would give an opportunity to consolidate and reaffirm a unique time-tested friendship and partnership with Russia.

BRICS Summit will be held in Goa on 15-16 October, followed by the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit.

Even as India is contemplating to bring a proposal at the upcoming BRICS summit for reconstruction of the war-ravaged Syria, dignitaries from the five major economies have appealed to the Heads of the five major economies congregating in Goa to call for probe into war crimes committed in the West Asian country.

Nineteen dignitaries from the five BRICS member countries, including Shashi Tharoor and former Ambassador to Iran K C Singh, have written an open letter to the BRICS leaders in this regard.

Source :

New Indian Express