PM Modi Starts 8-day Five-nation Visit
On the Brics summit, New Delhi is also confident that its strong concerns on terrorism will be reflected in the “Leaders’ Declaration” that is expected to be issued at the end of the summit, that will take place on July 6-7
New Delhi: “Institutional consolidation” of the 10 member Brics grouping is vital before any further expansion, India said Monday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eight-day five-nation visit starting Wednesday to the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago), Africa (Ghana and Namibia) and South America (Brazil and Argentina), that will also see him attend the Brics summit in the Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. New Delhi’s stand is significant, given that India will assume the Brics chair next year and the group functions on the basis of consensus.
Top MEA officials said at a special briefing on Monday that Brazil is also interested in a strong defence partnership with India, including the indigenous Akash (surface-to-air) missiles (that played an important role in Operation Sindoor), and the French-origin Scorpene submarines that both nations operate, the indigenous Garuda artillery systems, offshore patrol vessels and secure communication systems on the battlefield. Economic factors such as the import of rare earth minerals like lithium and uranium, precious metals like gold, energy security, raising concerns of the Global South and nurturing India’s deep historical relationships abroad are also factors leading up to the visit. For instance, India is trying to acquire mining concessions for lithium in Argentina even as some concessions have been gained that will see lithium being refined and brought to India from the South American nation. Another example is Namibia in southwest Africa that has rare earth minerals like uranium, lithium, cobalt, graphite, copper and new oilfields there. The five-nation visit will also be one of the longest and most fast-paced of Mr Modi’s visits abroad in his 11 years in office. His five-nation visit will last eight days from July 2 to 9
On the Brics summit, New Delhi is also confident that its strong concerns on terrorism will be reflected in the “Leaders’ Declaration” that is expected to be issued at the end of the summit, that will take place on July 6-7. The 10-nation Brics comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with new members Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia. Saudi Arabia is also associated with the grouping in some capacity, and it has signalled its wish to become a full-fledged member later. The summit will not be attended by both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with Beijing set to be represented by Premier Li Qiang while Moscow will be represented by foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The membership of the grouping has doubled in the past one and a half years. In addition, the Brics grouping also has 12 partner countries.
Mr Modi will begin the five-nation visit from Ghana in West Africa on July 2-3. This will be Mr Modi’s first bilateral visit to Ghana, and an Indian PM’s visit to Ghana is taking place after three decades. India is a major importer of gold from Ghana and the economic agenda will dominate the visit, officials said. He will hold talks with Ghana’s President and also address the country’s Parliament.
In the second leg, Mr Modi will visit Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) in the Caribbean on July 3-4 and hold talks with its President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and discuss strengthening of the India-Trinidad relationship. The PM will also address a joint session of T&T’s Parliament. Both the President and Prime Minister of the Caribbean nation are women lawyers of Indian origin. The Caribbean nation will mark the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indians there, brought as indentured labour. People of Indian origin comprise 40 to 45 per cent of the population of the Caribbean nation. A big Indian diaspora event there is also expected to be addressed by Mr Modi.
On the third leg of his visit, the PM will travel to Argentina on July 4-5 at the invitation of President Javier Milei. He is due to hold bilateral talks with President Milei to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance India-Argentine partnership in key areas like defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties.
On the fourth leg of his visit, Mr Modi will travel to Brazil at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on July 5-8 to attend the 17th Brics summit in Rio followed by a state visit to the capital Brasilia. Mr Modi is likely to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Brics summit.
For the state visit, the PM will travel to Brasilia where he will hold bilateral discussions with President Lula on broadening of the strategic partnership in areas like trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, health and people-to-people links, New Delhi had said last week.
On the fifth and final leg, the PM will visit the African nation of Namibia on July 9 at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah,. This will be Mr Modi’s first visit to Namibia, and the third-ever visit by an Indian PM. Besides holding talks with President Nandi-Ndaitwah, the PM will also pay homage to Namibia’s founding father Sam Nujoma, who was his nation’s first President. He is also expected to address the Namibian Parliament.