BRICS summit 2023: India’s Modi to depart for Johannesburg on Tuesday, expected to visit Greece

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set for the upcoming BRICS summit to be held in South Africa’s Johannesburg on August 22-24. He will be leaving for South Africa on Tuesday (August 22).

Giving more details about the upcoming trip, India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the theme of this year’s summit is "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism."

The summit is intriguing in more than one way. Indian media is rife with reports that a bilateral summit between Modiand Chinese President Xi Jinpingcan take place on the sidelines of the event.

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Additionally, the Western media is also keenly following the developments in South Africa, as one of the key agendas of the BRICS summit is to expand the bloc, which has triggered concerns in the West over its potential to challenge the West’s global hegemony.

First in-person summit in three years

It must be noted that BRICS leaders are gathering for an in-person summit for the first time after three consecutive years of virtual meetings, thanks to protocols induced by COVID-19.

It must be noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin will remain absent from the summit as part of a mutual agreement reached between Russia and the host South Africa. It is because Putin is sought by the West-backedInternational Criminal Court (ICC) over allegations that he unlawfully deported Ukrainian children. Putin will take part in the high-level talks virtually.

Watch:PM Modi to leave for BRICS summit, bilateral with Xi Jinping expected

"For the 15th BRICS Summit, a business delegation from India is also travelling to South Africa to attend the Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Forum," the Indian foreign secretarytold media.

Will Modi meet Xi Jinping?

While the speculation market is red hot with claims that Indian Prime Minister Modi might hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi, Indian officials have so far refrained from spilling the beans.

"The PM's schedule, in terms of bilateral meetings with those leaders who would be present in South Africa is still being developed,” Kwatra said ina carefully-knitted statement.

A quick visit to Greece?

On the way back from South Africa, PM Modi is expected to visit Greece on August 25, where he will meet his counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

During the trip, the two countries are expected to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

PM Modi will continue to attract the limelight even after the BRICS summit is over as India also looks forward to hosting the G20 summit this September.

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