Modi bats for expansion of Brics club, by consensus

INTERNATIONAL DESK: PM Narendra Modi backed the proposal for BRICS membership expansion by consensus and, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressed hope the member-states will support India’s proposal to make the African Union (AU) a permanent member of G20 at the summit next month in Delhi, and also its efforts to address Global South concerns.

Addressing the open BRICS plenary session, Modi made 5 suggestions to further intensify intra-BRICS cooperation including the creation of a BRICS space exploration consortium. He was speaking hours before India’s moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, successfully landed on the moon.

While seeking timelines for UNSC reforms, Modi also called for reform of multilateral financial institutions, WTO and urged BRICS to send a global message of unity and not polarisation.

On BRICS expansion, the issue that dominated the summit agenda, government sources said India took the lead in forging consensus on membership criteria and selection of new members. India’s efforts are apparently guided by its objective to incorporate strategic partners like Egypt and Saudi Arabia as new members.

“India fully supports the expansion of the BRICS membership. And welcomes moving forward with consensus in this,” said the PM, adding that BRICS will be breaking barriers, revitalising economies, inspiring innovation, creating opportunities, and shaping the future.

South Africa said after the second day of the summit that the leaders agreed to a document which “set out guidelines and principles, processes for considering countries that wish to become members of BRICS”.

With many developing countries looking at BRICS with renewed hope at a time of great global uncertainty, 23 countries have formally approached the grouping for membership. In his address, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for speeding up the expansion process saying more members will make global governance more just and equitable.

India, however, wanted BRICS to first finalise the criteria and guiding principles for extending membership,
something that the summit focused on. A formal announcement on expansion guidelines is expected on Thursday.

Modi also lauded South Africa’s focus on the Global South at the summit. “We have also proposed to give permanent membership of G-20 to the African Union. I am sure all the BRICS partners are also together in the G20. And all will support our proposal. Giving special place to all these efforts in BRICS will increase the self-confidence of the countries of the Global South,” he said.

Apart from BRICS space consortium, Modi also proposed undertaking skill mapping, promoting mobility among BRICS countries and joint efforts for protection of Big Cats under International Big Cat Alliance. He also proposed establishing a repository of traditional medicine among BRICS countries.

The PM said public service delivery is being revolutionized through in India through Digital Public Infrastructure and offered the same to BRICS countries. “Diversity is a great strength of India. The solution to any problem in India comes out at the test of this diversity. That’s why these solutions can be easily implemented in any corner of the world,” said Modi. (TOI)