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    Brics Summit: PM Narendra Modi may meet leaders from various regions

    Synopsis

    China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Guinea (President of African Union) and Mexico as part of BRICS outreach meet.

    ET Bureau
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet leaders from across South East and Central Asia, Africa & North America -- on the side lines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen between September 3-5 gathered in the Chinese coastal city for the group’s outreach meet.

    China has invited leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Guinea (African Union chair) and Mexico as part of BRICS outreach meet. There are reports that leaders of Tajikistan and Philippines could also be part of this outreach exercise.

    Efforts are on to firm up separate bilateral meetings between Modi and some of these leaders in the backdrop of India’s growing partnership with these countries, persons familiar with the subject said. Situation arising out of current border standoff with China might figure in these bilateral dialogues.

    Being held in the shadow of Doklam stand-off between India and China, two of the five members comprising BRICS, the summit will have special significance. While India will yet again emphasise on concrete action against Pak-based terror infrastructure and broader action plan against worldwide extremism, host China will seek to focus on South-South cooperation and sustainable development.

    The theme for the summit is ‘Stronger partnership for a brighter future.’ Delhi, though, is expected to express reservations on connectivity initiatives like OBOR being implemented in a unilateral fashion and non-transparent fashion. All eyes will be on any reference by the Indian PM on attempts to change status quo along disputed boundaries.

    "China's intransigence and fascination for Pakistan is not allowing BRICS to adopt stronger counter-terror measures. This can be described as a delaying tactic in favour of all-weather friendship," claimed an expert who has studied BRICS process closely.

    The BRICS process, however, is expected to contribute to confidence building between neighbours India and China as they seek to ring fence BRICS from bilateral tensions between member nations of the group. Persons familiar with the process told ET Russia is trying to mediate to defuse Sino-Indian tensions and hectic parleys are ongoing in Delhi, Moscow and Beijing ahead of the summit.

    There are indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin could speak to both Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Doklam crisis at Xiamen.

    According to China, BRICS is in a position to further strengthen its three pillars, namely, political security, economic and financial cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

    “With the proactive presidencies of Russia and India behind them, the Chinese have been trying to put their own imprimatur on BRICS, regardless of adverse reaction in Asia to their actions in Doklam and the South China Sea…The informal meeting of BRICS leaders on the side lines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 7 gave sufficient clues of the direction in which BRICS is heading now. Their collective assessment indicates that global economic growth is “gathering pace” despite prevailing risks.

    In this situation, BRICS member states and other Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDCs) serve as “the main engine” of global growth,” according to India’s former envoy to Myanmar and South Africa Rajiv Bhatia. The New Development Bank (NDB) or BRICS Bank is a reality that shows momentum with its plan to extend loans worth $2.5 billion in 2017, points out Bhatia.


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