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PM Modi meets Iranian Prez Raisi on sidelines of Brics, reviewed bilateral ties
PM Modi also held bilateral meetings with Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed Ali, Senegal President Macky Sall and Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday discussed ways to boost ties in connectivity, energy and trade and agreed to speed up collaboration in infrastructure, including the Chabahar port.
These matters figured in a bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the Brics (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Summit in Johannesburg. Iran was among the six countries invited by Brics to become new members in January 2024.
Modi also held bilateral meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Senegal President Macky Sall and Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on the sidelines of the summit. Ethiopia was another of the new entrants to Brics, while Senegal and Mozambique were invited for special sessions of the summit.
All four leaders congratulated Modi on the success of the on the success of the Chandrayaan mission. Ali described the moon mission as a “moment of pride and inspiration for Ethiopia and the Global South”.
“Had a wonderful meeting with President Ebrahim Raisi. I am glad that Iran will be joining BRICS. Discussed ways to deepen trade and cultural cooperation between India and Iran,” Modi said in a tweet. Another official account of the prime minister tweeted the two leaders discussed ways to boost ties in energy, connectivity and trade.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted that Modi and Raisi reviewed bilateral ties, including in trade, investment, energy, connectivity, and counter-terrorism. “They agreed to fast track infrastructure cooperation, including Chabahar project. They also exchanged views on regional developments, including Afghanistan,” he said.
Modi felicitated Iran on joining Brics, and Raisi thanked him for “India’s support in achieving this outcome”.
At his meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart, Modi discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties and congratulated Ali on Ethiopia becoming a new member of Brics.
Bagchi said Ali appreciated India’s support for Ethiopia to join the bloc. Discussions between Modi and Ali covered ways to expand bilateral cooperation in parliamentary contacts, development partnership, trade, investment, defence, ICT, agriculture, skilling of youth and people-to-people linkages, Bagchi said.
Modi tweeted that he and Senegal President Sall discussed sectors such as energy, infrastructure and defence. “India considers Senegal to be a valued developmental partner,” he added.
Bagchi added that Sall thanked Modi for India’s efforts to give the African Union permanent membership of the G20. The two leaders discussed ways to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, defence, security, energy, mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, capacity building, culture and people-to-people ties.
Sall also appreciated Modi’s leadership in “advocating priorities of the developing world”.
Modi and Mozambique President Nyusi discussed ways to take forward cooperation in a range of areas, including defence, counter-terrorism, energy, mining, health, trade investment, maritime issues, parliamentary contacts, and people-to-people relations, Bagchi said.
Nyusi too appreciated India’s initiative for giving the African Union permanent membership of the G20.
