International: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to come face-to-face at the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan next week as both leaders are attending the conclave. PM Modi will pay a two-day visit to Kazan beginning Tuesday to attend the summit following an invitation by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

As per the schedule, the Prime Minister will fly to Kazan on Tuesday morning. He is slated to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin on the same day-- hours after disembarking from the plane. Later, he is supposed to hold multiple bilateral meetings with other BRICS member nations leaders. 

Why is PM Modi's visit to Russia significant?

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that India plays a vital role in BRICS, bringing significant value, particularly in sectors such as economic growth, sustainable development, and global governance reforms. The remarks by Misri came while addressing a media briefing on PM Modi's upcoming Russia visit for the 16th BRICS summit. Addressing the briefing, Misri said, "The PM will be departing for Kazan tomorrow to attend the 16th BRICS Summit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The theme of this edition of BRICS is Strengthening multilateralism for just global development and security."

He added, "As you know, India is a founding member of BRICS and has participated in all of its activities, initiatives and engagements since its inception. India brings great value to BRICS and its contributions have played a vital role in shaping BRICS efforts in areas such as economic growth, sustainable development and global governance reforms."

BRICS Summit during multiple wars

Misri further asserted that the country views BRICS as a key expression of global multi-polarity. "We place a great deal of importance on our involvement and activities within the BRICS forum as we view it as a key expression of global multi-polarity. BRICS also serves for us as a vital platform to tackle a range of global challenges while also contributing to shaping a fairer, more exclusive and open international order," Misri said.

Elaborating on the schedule of the summit, Misri said, "This is the first summit that will be taking place after the first-ever expansion of BRICS last year in Johannesburg. The summit begins on October 22. The main day of the summit is on October 23 and there are two main sessions, a close plenary in the morning followed by an open plenary in the afternoon devoted to the main theme of the summit." He added, "The leaders are also expected to adopt the Kazan Declaration which will lay the path forward for BRICS. This document is currently being negotiated in Kazan. The summit will end on October 24. However, the PM will return on October 23. 

Although the foreign secretary did not mention whether PM Modi will pitch for peace in the Ukraine war, it is evident from his earlier visit to Moscow and Kyiv in the past two months, that he would advocate for the early return of peace in the region. 

PM Modi to hold multiple bilateral meetings

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi is expected to have a few bilateral meetings. These are presently being worked out." Notably, the leaders of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) countries met for the first time in St Petersburg, Russia in 2006. After a series of high-level meetings, the first BRIC summit was held in Russia's Yekaterinburg in 2009. BRIC group was renamed as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) after South Africa was accepted as a full member at the BRIC Foreign Ministers' meeting in New York in September 2010. On January 1 this year, BRICS admitted four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.