Indian Prime Minister Modi calls on BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation, focusing on the situation in the Middle East and China-India relations

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation. He said: "BRICS countries account for 50% of the global population, 40% of global GDP and more than 25% of global trade."

"The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and mutual cooperation." Modi said: "We have always strived to promote inclusive growth. We may be rooted in different realities, but through cooperation, we will be able to rise together and promote the prosperity and development of mankind."

Founded in 2009, the BRICS was initially a forum composed of emerging economies with the aim of gaining a greater voice in international institutions dominated by the West. Now, the BRICS group is working hard to expand its global influence and play an important role in dealing with conflicts, trade disputes, and energy security.

"Exercise maximum restraint"

On Saturday, the situation in the Middle East became the main topic on the agenda of the first day of the BRICS Summit. After the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28 this year, the war continues to this day. In May this year, at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, the countries failed to agree on a joint statement due to differences in opinions between Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

However, during this summit, with the active mediation of the host India, leaders of various countries, including Iranian President Pezeshizyan, signed a joint statement. The statement said that the BRICS countries are deeply concerned about the tensions in the Middle East and West Asia and "call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains friendly relations with both Iran and Israel and is trying to find a delicate balance in India-US relations. At the same time, despite pressure from the United States and other Western countries, India is still buying Russian crude oil to alleviate the energy crisis caused by the US-Iran war.

"Together progress"

Chinese party and state leader Xi Jinping’s attendance at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi also attracted special attention. This is his first visit to India since 2019, and is widely regarded as an important step in the easing of relations between China and India, the two nuclear powers.

Six years ago, China and India had a bloody conflict in the disputed border area, and bilateral relations fell into a low ebb. In the past two years, bilateral relations have shown signs of easing with the resumption of flights, visas and high-level contacts.

An official video released by New Delhi showed that Xi Jinping said during his meeting with Modi: "Although our two countries have differences in many aspects, we can fully complement each other's advantages, support and achieve each other, and achieve common development."

Moscow: Putin welcomes China and India’s help for peace between Russia and Ukraine

However, the territorial dispute between China and India remains unresolved, and a large number of troops are still deployed on both sides of the 3,500-kilometer-long border. After the Xi-Mo talks, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying: "The leaders of both countries expressed their commitment to resolving border issues in a peaceful, reasonable and mutually acceptable manner." Observers generally believe that due to the expanding trade deficit and geopolitical competition, serious mutual suspicion still exists between China and India.

During Xi Jinping’s visit to India, exiled Tibetans held protests in New Delhi. After China launched a crackdown in Tibet in 1959, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and a large number of followers have been living in India.

On Sunday, Russia's official TASS news agency reported that Kremlin spokesman Peskov said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed their willingness to provide help in Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, and Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed this.