At the opening address of Day 2 of the BRICS Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday - with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on either sides - said India’s chairship of the grouping focused all efforts on four pillars - resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
Addressing the BRICS summit, PM Modi also warned that the “weaponisation of technology and critical minerals” could hinder global development and shared prosperity.
PM Modi's remarks citing critical minerals assumed significance as they come amid growing concerns over China's restrictive policy on export of the same and its hesitance to share high-technologies.
"I am happy that with all your cooperation and support, we are transforming our shared vision into win-win cooperation...,” PM Modi said on Sunday. Track all updates from Day 2 of BRICS Summit in Delhi
PM Modi said that through the BRICS platform, India has advanced friendship, participation and cooperation. “Our endeavour has been to ensure that BRICS cooperation does not remain limited to governments alone. Our entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth and ordinary citizens must also become active participants,” PM Modi said.
“Weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress. Therefore, we have emphasised inclusivity in the adoption of technology,” PM Modi said in the Day 2 opening address.
{{/usCountry}}“Weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress. Therefore, we have emphasised inclusivity in the adoption of technology,” PM Modi said in the Day 2 opening address.
{{/usCountry}}Another key highlight of his address was his pitch for inclusivity, in which he said, “…we have sought to promote inclusive global growth through BRICS. This is because we believe that the solutions developed within BRICS should not benefit BRICS countries alone. They should be made adaptable and accessible to the needs of the Global South.”
‘Voices are heard’
He cited personal experience in saying that the “confidence” of Global South countries in BRICS has grown because “their voices are heard, their experiences are respected, and solutions are created not just for them, but together with them”.
“The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and cooperation. We may be rooted in different realities, but together we rise through cooperation and blossom for humanity,” PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kicked off the high-stakes BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, an event for which the city has been fortified given its high-profile attendance - particularly Chinese and Russian presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
BRICS - which stands for Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability - brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries of the world: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
BRICS describes itself as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global as well as regional significance, and issues of global political and economic governance.