During the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, leaders of various nations came together for discussions. Among the significant interactions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina exchanged greetings. This gathering was organized at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, with President Ramaphosa, the current chair of BRICS, playing host.
The Bangladeshi Foreign Minister, Dr. AK Abdul Momen, commented on the warm exchange between Modi and Hasina, noting that both leaders showed genuine concern for each other’s well-being. Another noteworthy interaction was PM Modi’s brief conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the details of which remain undisclosed.
A major decision made during the summit was the unanimous agreement by BRICS leaders to expand the bloc, welcoming six new countries: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. These nations will gain full membership from January of the following year. PM Modi expressed optimism about the expansion, believing these new countries would invigorate the BRICS alliance.
Interestingly, around 20 countries had shown interest in joining the alliance before the official announcement, as Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira reported.