BRICS: PM Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa discuss trade, defence and investment linkages

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday reviewed bilateral relations and discussed coordination between the two sides at multilateral bodies as they met on the sidelines of the Brics (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Summit in Johannesburg, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry.

The leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral relations and “expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in various fields including defence, agriculture, trade and investment, health, conservation and people-to-people ties”, the statement said.

They also exchanged views on continued coordination in multilateral bodies and regional and multilateral issues.

Ramaphosa expressed his full support for India’s G20 presidency and appreciated New Delhi’s initiative for giving the African Union full membership of the grouping of the 20 largest economies.

Modi recently wrote to the leaders of all G20 member states seeking their support for a move to give full membership to the African Union during the grouping’s upcoming summit in September.

Ramaphosa said he looked forward to visiting New Delhi for the G20 Summit.

PM Modi congratulated Ramaphosa on the successful hosting of the Brics Summit, and also accepted the president’s invitation to pay a state visit to South Africa at a mutually convenient date.

The Indian leader is expected to hold several bilateral meetings on the margins of the Brics Summit. There has been growing speculation about a meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to help address the dragging military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).