File photo, September 13, Kathmandu. The 18th BRICS Summit commenced on Saturday in New Delhi. This year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared together on the same stage in India for the first time in 10 years. These three leaders last participated together at the BRICS Summit held in Goa in 2016. In addition to the 11 member nations, leaders from 10 partner countries are also attending the summit.
This visit marks Xi Jinping’s first trip to India after nearly seven years, following the Galwan clash. Xi departed Beijing for New Delhi on Saturday morning, and his visit is being viewed with special significance. After the violent clashes in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh in 2020, this will be the first bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi on Indian soil. The two leaders are expected to hold talks on Saturday evening from 6 to 7 PM local time at the India pavilion.
BRICS’s strength lies not only in its 11 member nations but also in its demographic and economic weight. The organization represents approximately 49.5% of the world’s population. In terms of economy, on the basis of purchasing power parity, the combined GDP of BRICS countries accounts for about 39% of the global economy, roughly three times that of the United States.
Under India’s presidency, this year’s summit will emphasize trade in local currencies and seamless online payment systems. Prime Minister Modi is engaging in a series of bilateral meetings with heads of state from various countries. Security arrangements for the summit have been extremely stringent, with police vehicles equipped with sniffer dogs conducting thorough inspections.
