BRICS Summit: Indian PM Modi holds bilateral meetings

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, met South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and held a bilateral meeting. 

PM Modi, who is in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, will attend open and closed plenary sessions in Johannesburg later today. 

The plenaries will be followed by a cultural performance and a banquet dinner hosted by President Ramaphosa.

PM Modi arrived in South Africa on Tuesday and received a ceremonial welcome at Waterkloof Air Force Base.

Upon his arrival, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora chanting 'Vande Mataram' and the members of the Indian community were waiting for PM Modi's arrival to welcome him with 'dhols' outside the Sandton Sun Hotel in Johannesburg.

The opening day of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg was witness to the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue.

In his address at the BRICS Business Forum Leaders' Dialogue, PM Modi said India will soon be a 5 trillion dollar economy and in the coming years will be the growth engine of the world.

PM Modi’s special message to the dialogue was that mutual trust and transparency can help create a big impact, especially in the Global South.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said as Africa has an urbanised population it can provide a stable workforce in future, BRICS countries have an opportunity to contribute to and participate in Africa's growth story.

"Africa has a young digitally connecting and urbanizing population. A population that provides a stable workforce for companies in future. The investment in skills... continues to grow," President Ramaphosa said.

Soon after the Business Forum, PM Modi arrived at the Summer Place in Johannesburg to participate in the BRICS Leaders Retreat where the leaders of the grouping will deliberate on global developments and explore how to utilize the BRICS platform effectively to address and resolve global challenges.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the event.

Notably, this is PM Modi's third visit to South Africa and the trip marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa.

Initially formed as BRIC, a visionary concept coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neil in 2001, BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, and China - a collective representation of burgeoning emerging markets brimming with current and future economic prowess. In a momentous development in 2010, South Africa joined the bloc, prompting a change in the acronym BRICS.

(ANI)