PM Modi Embarks on 6th BRICS Summit to Brazil
PM Modi Embarks on 6th BRICS Summit to Brazil
NDA government now looks to the next round of foreign policy challenges as India's PM Narendra Modi embarks on a trip to Brazil to attend the sixth BRICS Summit. Modi strives to move forward and add variety to India's foreign policy following the unprecedented diplomatic outreach where 8 countries and 7 SAARC leaders attended his oath-taking ceremony.
Proving that he is just getting down to the brass tacks, the PM is now off to Brazil. Here, he will share the diplomatic high-table for the first time since attaining prime ministership. He will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jingping an Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time during this summit. He will also be holding one-to-one deliberations with BRIC leaders.
In a diplomatic victory of sorts, the PM will be meeting 11 Latin American world leaders on a single platform. Brazilian President and host Dilma Roussef has invited leaders from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Ecuador, Paraguay, Surinam, Peru, Venezuela and Uruguay.
The first bilateral meeting PM Modi will be attending is with the Chinese premier. Incidentally, the Chinese FM was also the first to land in India and establish contact with the NDA government following the electoral victory of the latter. The meeting is expected to be held on July 15. With China establishing an industrial park in India, things are looking up for the proponents of Chindia. But strategic lessons are also at play along with security concerns. The 2 nations have to literally learn to respect each other's boundaries.
When it comes to Russia, the potential of bilateral relations between the 2 nations is yet to be completely tapped. With the US racing ahead as India's chief weapon's exporter, Modi is now faced with the onerous task of cementing further ties with Moscow as well. Putin and Modi will have to work for further bilateral ties between the 2 nations. The Russian president will also be arriving for an Indo-Russian annual summit later this year. The two nations have a long way to go and a lot to accomplish jointly. India's space and atomic energy programme already owes a lot to Russia.
Latin America is also looking to cooperate with India. The 2 have achieved robust diplomatic ties. The relations between the 2 are also significantly considering that mutual trade between them is currently $42 billion and it will breach the $100 billion mark soon.
Latin America is home to 600 million people with a combined GDP of 5 trillion dollars. The potential for growth and expansion here is massive. After having successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup 2014, Brazil is ready to face its next challenge. The BRICS summit is looking to rely on Latin America for hydrocarbons. 10% of the hydrocarbons import basket of India is accounted for by this region.
With Brazil looking to play ball with the top leaders of the world, impressive diplomatic victories are close at hand, and it does not need a crystal ball to know this. The facts speak for themselves.
