Latest news with #BRICSSummit
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
From Africa to Latin America to West Asia: PM Modi plans 5-nation tour in July
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning a five-nation tour of Africa, Latin America, and West Asia early July to push India's leadership of the Global South and shape a broad anti-terror coalition after the Pahalgam with Morocco, India's emerging security & economic partner in North Africa, Modi plans to travel to Argentina, New Delhi's partner for critical minerals, food security and defence, ahead of the BRICS Summit in Brazil on July 6-7. This is expected to be followed by trips to Trinidad and Tobago, and Jordan, ET has visit in Morocco has been in the works for the last few years but it could not be finalised due to scheduling issues. Modi is expected to visit Rabat to meet King Mohammed VI of Morocco, one of the key Arab states with a growing economy, and strong outreach in West Africa and southern Europe. Morocco has in many ways emerged as an anchor in North proposed trip to Buenos Aires could lead India and Argentina to expand ties in agriculture, defence and connectivity sectors, it has been BRICS Summit in the historic city of Rio De Janeiro could provide the PM an opportunity to engage with several leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, besides the host and leaders of South Africa, Indonesia, UAE, Egypt and Ethiopia, among others. There could be an opportunity to meet leaders of BRICS partner countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Nigeria."The Brazilian chairmanship of BRICS has prioritised six areas-reform of global governance, climate change, climate financing, global health, artificial intelligence and economy and finance," Brazilian ambassador to India Kenneth F. Haczynski da Nobrega told ET."I think the signature outcomes will be apart from the joint, traditional joint statement by the leaders, two specific declarations, one on climate change finance, climate change perhaps more specific, specifically, climate change financing and artificial intelligence governance," Nobrega informed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brazilian military simulates security drill ahead of BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro
Brazil's military conducted a security drill on Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro in preparation for the BRICS Summit, which will take place in the city in early July. (AP/ Mario Lobao)
United News of India
7 days ago
- Business
- United News of India
Vietnam becomes 10th partner-member of BRICS, confirms Brazil Foreign Ministry
Hanoi, June 14 (UNI) Vietnam has officially joined BRICS as a partner country, according to a statement from Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs — the BRICS chair for 2025. After expressing its desire to becoming a member of the powerful global body for some time, Vietnam has now become the 10th BRICS partner, aligning itself with the bloc's vision of a more inclusive and representative international order, reports Sputnik. "With a population of nearly 100 million and a dynamic economy deeply integrated into global value chains, Vietnam is an important player in Asia," the ministry's statement said. Vietnam in recent years has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world and one of the strongest in South East Asia, having become one of the major destinations alongside India, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, and Malaysia, for investors looking to shift manufacturing from China. The partner country category was created at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. The current list of partners include: Vietnam, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan. While partner nations are not members of the bloc, it offers the option of more flexible association, as partner nations can collaborate with BRICS nations in meetings, and engage in proposed development projects. The status also opens the door to closer ties with the bloc's institutions, including the New Development Bank, which offers infrastructure financing to developing economies. Hanoi has yet to release a formal statement on the admission, which follows a period of deeper engagement between the Southeast Asian country and BRICS, as per South China Morning Post. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the expanded BRICS+ summit in Kazan in October 2024, and Vietnamese delegations have taken part in related dialogues, including a June 2024 meeting in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, focused on cooperation with developing countries. The bloc, which was formed by the world's five biggest leading economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – has emerged as a major alternative to West dominated blocs such as the G7, and promote de-dollarisation of global economy for other viable options and reduce Western hegemony.
The Print
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
16 Indians still missing after joining Russian army, families to travel to Moscow for answers
Around 126 Indians joined the Russian Army to fight the war in Ukraine between the end of 2023 and early 2024. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 96 of them have returned to India, while 12 were killed on the frontlines. Russian authorities have been unable to ascertain the location of 16 Indians for over a year. In February, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 18 Indians were in Russia, of which 16 are missing. Of the remaining two, Jain T.K from Kerala, who was injured on the frontlines, returned in April. The other Indian has acquired Russian citizenship, said a person familiar with the matter. New Delhi: At least 16 Indians remain missing in Russia for over a year, after being forced to join the military there last year. Some of the family members of those missing are set to travel to Moscow later this month to further inquire about the case. The issue of Indians in the Russian armed forces has been raised at the highest levels, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Russian President Vladimir V. Putin twice in 2024—at the annual India-Russia Summit in July and on the margins of the BRICS Summit at Kazan in October. Now, four family members of at least 14 of the missing Indians are set to travel to Moscow at the end of June for a month. They will be working with a local foundation and meet with Russian authorities to find out more about the status of the missing Indians. 'Four of us will be travelling to Moscow, along with the power of attorney for 10 of the other families. For the one and a half years, all we have been told is that our family members remain missing,' Jagdeep Kumar, one of the family members set to travel, told ThePrint. His brother Mandeep Kumar from Phillaur in Punjab was promised a visa to Italy before he departed India in December 2023. The family paid Rs 31.40 lakh to an agent for Mandeep's travel to Italy. However, rather than Italy, Mandeep landed up in Moscow and was signed up by the Russian Army. The family last spoke to him on 3 March, 2024. 'He was given 15 days of training to become a sniper in the Russian Army, before being sent to the frontlines. Mandeep has a handicap, which does not allow him to run, but he was sent to the frontlines,' Jagdeep told ThePrint. Also Read: 3 Indians missing after travelling to Iran, embassy 'strongly takes up matter' with Tehran From UP, Punjab to J&K & Maharashtra Families of at least 14 Indians held a protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar in the last week of May. Nine of them are from Uttar Pradesh, with the majority from Azamgarh district. Three are from Punjab, while one each is from Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra. One of the missing from Punjab, according to a list curated by the families and seen by ThePrint, is Tejpal Singh, from Amritsar. Singh's family also last spoke with him on 3 March last year, before he was taken to Tokmak city, in the Ukrainian province of Zaporizhzhia. Russia has sought to annex Zaporizhzhia, along with the provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Crimea since the current phase of open warfare began a little over three years ago. Mandeep, on the other hand, was sent to Donetsk, after which his family lost all connection with him. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed last month that Arvind Kumar from Azamgarh district, one of the missing Indians, signed a contract on 17 January, 2024 to join the military in the Leningrad region. However, the military selection point for Leningrad region denied that other Indians, including Mandeep, signed contracts in the region for military service. New Delhi has pushed Moscow to ensure that no other Indians are allowed to join the Russian armed forces. The number of Indians signing up to the Russian military has since been curbed. There have been no new cases of Indians intimating either the Embassy in Moscow or the MEA of their service in the Russian armed forces. The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing since February 2022. In recent weeks, it has intensified, especially after Kyiv was able to destroy Russian strategic bombers through Operation Spiderweb. On Sunday, Russia is reported to have launched nearly 500 loitering munitions and missiles at Western Ukraine, in one of its largest such aerial attacks till date. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Another Indian recruit in Russian army dies on warfront, some yet to be released
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
India forging bonds with Angola - a win win for both countries
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco's on a recent state visit to India. Image: EPA-EFE/HEIN HTET Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco's recent state visit to India underscored a mutual desire for stronger economic ties, with India recommitting itself to deepening strategic and economic engagement with the African Union. Lourenco's visit - which took place between May 2 and 4 - was his first ever bilateral State Visit to India and took place 38 years after the last visit by the President of Angola to India, coming as India and Angola are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Both countries have their differences - they are geographically far apart and linguistically diverse but both countries are connected by historical threads of post-colonial solidarity, economic complementarity, and growing strategic convergence. Angola is rich in oil and minerals while India has long-standing relations with Angola's neighbours, such as Mozambique and Namibia and the general consensus is that bilateral relations with Angola remained underdeveloped for much of the past two decades. Bilateral trade between the two countries has been growing and reached US$ 4.192 billion during 2023/2024 with their development partnership, capacity-building cooperation and defence relationships, expanding in recent years. Both countries also support each other's candidature at various multilateral forums, including in the United Nations. In the meeting earlier in May, both countries agreed to expand cooperation in oil exploration, refining, and energy infrastructure development. India also expressed a keen interest in participating in Angola's diamond sector, critical minerals exploration, and fertiliser production. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ During his visit to Johannesburg in July, 2018 to attend the BRICS Summit, Lourenco met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries and also to deepen cooperation in sectors like energy, agriculture, food processing and pharmaceuticals. The visit saw active participation from business leaders, with targeted meetings aimed at enhancing trade, investments, and joint ventures. The Angolan delegation included key ministers who arrived in India ahead of the president to facilitate focused bilateral talks, reflecting the seriousness with which Angola approached the visit. Another cornerstone of the visit was the deepening of defence ties. India approved a $200 million Dollar line of credit for Angola to support its defence modernisation efforts. Discussions included the supply of military equipment, joint defence production, training for Angolan military personnel, and maintenance of existing Russian platforms. Angola's openness to Indian defence cooperation is a notable shift, signifying trust and alignment on strategic interests. President Lourenço also signed a framework agreement for the country's accession into the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during the visit. The agreement will see the country join the intergovernmental organisation, which seeks to increase the deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for enhancing energy access and security worldwide. India also showcased its leadership in digital and technological domains during the visit. Offers to share expertise in digital public infrastructure, space technology, and e-governance were welcomed by the Angolan side. A youth exchange programme was proposed to strengthen people-to-people contacts and foster cultural understanding between the two nations. The ceremonial welcome accorded to President Lourenço at Rashtrapati Bhavan and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi underscored the high-level nature of this engagement. A business forum brought together investors and stakeholders from both sides, focusing on oil, gas, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure. Importantly, Angola currently holds the rotating chair of the African Union (AU). In a significant diplomatic signal, India reinstated the tradition of inviting the AU Chair for a state visit with Angola's position as AU Chair adding weight to its call for an early convening of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV). While addressing a joint press briefing with President Lourenço, Prime Minister Modi said, "India and the African Union are partners in progress and pillars of the Global South. Under Angola's presidency, the strength of India and the African Union's partnership will strengthen further. In the last 10 years, India has gained speed in cooperation with African nations. Trade has reached almost USD 100 billion. We've improved defence cooperation and maritime security. Last month, India and Africa had their first naval maritime exercise." Lourenço said, "Both our nations combined can help establish a significantly expanded foundation for business opportunities." "I have come to India, to convey a message of admiration and friendship that will hold with your country. I have also come to India with the intention of showcasing a new vision for relations between our countries." Modi, described the visit as 'historic' and said it was not only giving new direction to India-Angola relations but also strengthening India-Africa ties. 'India stood firmly with Angola during its struggle for independence. Today, we continue to build on that foundation of friendship,' Modi said during a joint press statement. President Lourenço's visit to India has ushered in a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries, highlighting mutual interests. While the relationship had previously been transactional and narrow, this visit has opened doors for a multidimensional partnership built on mutual respect, strategic alignment and shared developmental goals. * Dr Govender is an academic and a keen observer of issues related to international relations. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
