Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, from Uganda, for the tenth edition of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) summit. Like, Modi, who made Rwanda and Uganda part of his travel itenary, Chinese President Xi Jinping too had Rwanda on his itinerary, which also included Senegal and Mauritius.
The theme for the BRICS summit this time is “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution”. The one big issue, however, would be multilateralism in this rapidly changing world. Russia is coming under US sanctions and China is in an ongoing trade war with the US. India, however, is feeling the heat of the US decisions, given its involvement with Russia and Iran, two countries against whom the US has imposed sanctions.
Relations between India and China, though on the mend in recent months, are still rather fragile. Modi has already met Jinping twice in China, this year, once for the special Wuhan summit, and during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Xiamen. Modi has already had a special summit with Putin in Sochi. Though, like the Wuhan summit, the Sochi meet was an informal person to person one, the looming threat of US sanctions would have featured prominently in the talks.
There will be much India will need to discuss with both these leaders, and BRICS will provide the right platform for it. For the first time, a BRICS leaders' retreat is being organised, which will provide the opportunity to discuss the future course of this multilateral organisation, whose members are leading economies. It will also be an occasion to have talks on bilateral subjects. While India's ties with Russia is robust, but Russia's recent closeness to China, and the supply of military equipment to Pakistan remain bones of contention. With China, though the ruffled feathers are soothed, beneath the calm surface lies enough turmoil. The latest is Chinese vice foreign minister Kong Xuanyou's visit to Thimpu, where he met top offiicials, including the King. It is reported they discussed border issues, including Doklam. China has always felt India's interference in Doklam was not warranted as it was a bilateral matter. Bhutan, however, in India's protectorate, and does no have any formal diplomatic ties with China.