Putin and Modi Review BRICS Meeting Results, Plans for G20 Summit

Aug. 30, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—The Kremlin reported today that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he “once again warmly congratulated Narendra Modi on the successful touch-down of the Indian lunar lander, Chandrayaan-3, on the lunar South Pole region.” According to the Kremlin report, “the sides confirmed their readiness to further develop bilateral space cooperation.”

The two leaders also reviewed the importance of the agreements reached at the Aug. 22-24 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, “primarily on BRICS’s expansion, which undoubtedly would promote the growth of its influence in international affairs. It was agreed to closely collaborate in the context of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship, which starts on January 1, 2024. The parties also exchanged views on the upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi.” Putin informed Modi that he would not be traveling in person to the summit, and that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would head the Russian delegation.

Lavrov told a Sunday TV show: “Of course, the standing of an expanded BRICS in G20 will strengthen with the participation of Saudi Arabia and Argentina.” He noted that the G20 was beginning to look like a combination of G7 Plus and BRICS 11 members, adding that Russia will coordinate its position on global affairs with the new BRICS nations.

On bilateral Russian-Indian relations, Putin and Modi restated “their shared intention to consistently implement large-scale energy projects and work together to expand the international transport and logistics infrastructure.”