In Brasilia Modi holds back to back bilaterals on sidelines of 11th BRICS summit
Mr. Modi had bilateral meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Brazilian president Mr. Jair Messias Bolsonaro, and Chinese president Mr. Xi Jinping.
On his first day in Brasilia, Brazil, to attend the 11th BRICS summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had three back to back bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday, 13th November 2019.
Mr. Modi had bilateral meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Brazilian president Mr. Jair Messias Bolsonaro, and Chinese president Mr. Xi Jinping.
During the meeting with Mr. Putin both leaders reviewed the progress made in the bilateral relationship since Mr. Modi’s visit to Vladivostok and made mention of the successful visits of Indian Minister of Defence and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas to Russia. India and Russia had made progress in imports of oil and natural gas from Russia to India, and Mr. Putin once again reiterated his invitation to Indian investments in the Arctic region. Bilateral trade between two countries has also been picking up with USD 25 billion trade target for 2025 already being achieved. A decision has also been reached to have the 1st Bileral Regional Forum at the level of Russian Provinces and Indian States held next year to dismantle the barriers of trade at regional level.
Defence and infrastructure were also discussed during the meeting; the speed of the Nagpur-Secunderabad sector railway line, which Russia is engaged in, is expected to be raised. Civil nuclear energy cooperatino in third countries, like in Bangladesh, were also discussed.
The Russian president also reiterated the invitation to Modi to visit Moscow to participate in the Victory Day celebrations next year, which he has ‘gladly accepted’, said a release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Both sides shared common position on international issues and agreed to continue close consultations in the future.
This is Modi’s first visit to Brazil after the new administration led by president Bolsonaro assumed office on 1st January 2019. Modi and Bolsonaro have, however, met earlier on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka earlier this.
During their meeting in Brazilia, the prime minister invited Bosonaro to be the chief guest for India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2020, which the president has accepted. Brazil has been trying to woo investments from India and Bolsonaro will be accompanied by a ‘large business delegation’ the president has said according to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs of India. The two countries are expected to comprehensively enhance their strategic partnership. PM Modi also outlined areas for potential investment from Brazil , including in areas of agricultural equipment, animal husbandry, post-harvest technologies and biofuels, as well as discussed potential cooperation in space and defence sectors.
In October this year Brazil had announced that Indians were eligible for visa free travel to the county.
The Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit took stock of the Mamallapuram meet, with sides agreeing that such informal summits helped maintain close dialogue, and such dialoge needed to continue, especialy relating to trade and investment. At the recently held second China Import Export Expo in Shanghai India had been one of the ‘guest of honor’ countries. Xi also extended an invitatino to Modi for the third informal summit in China next year.
The leaders reviewed preparations for celebrating the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year, which is expected to enhance people-to-people relations. India and China Special Representatives will be having another meeting on the Boundry Question, and both agreed that it was impotant to maintain peace and security in the border areas.
Both leaders also exchanged views on multilateral issues including WTO, BRICS and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). India last week had walked away from joining the RCEP but in recent days has indicated that it is open to further discussions on the matter.
The current summit in Brazilia is the sixth time that Modi is participating at the BRICS summit. His first BRICS summit was at Fortaleza in Brazil in 2014. He is being accompanied by an official delegation, as well as a large business delegation which will be attending the BRICS Business Forum where the business community of all five countries are represented.
A BRICS agreement between Trade and Investment Promotion agencies will be signed on the second day of the summit.
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – BRICS – brings together five major emerging economies comprising 42 percent of the world’s population, having 23 percent of the global GDP and around 17 percent of the share of world trade.
