The BRICS group of major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will hold its 15th heads of state and government summit in Johannesburg between August 22 and August 24.

Regarding the chances of a bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has said that the Prime Minister's schedule is still being developed. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to South Africa and Greece, Kwatra, in a special press briefing said, "As I mentioned in my remarks, the host country South Africa has invited a large number of guest countries, besides of course the BRICS members who would be present there." "The Prime Minister's schedule in terms of bilateral meetings with those leaders who would be present in South Africa is still being developed," Kwatra said. Notably, Prime Minister Modi will depart for the BRICS Summit tomorrow morning to join the leaders of Brazil, China and South Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. "Prime Minister will depart tomorrow morning for Johannesburg where he would be participating in the 15th BRICS Summit that starts tomorrow and concludes on 24th August...," the Foreign Secretary informed during the special presser today.

It was in November last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, Indonesia.

India and China have been in a stand-off situation for the last three years and relations at all levels have deteriorated due to the tensions on borders. The two sides have held 19 rounds of talks so far to address the boundary issues in Eastern Ladakh since 2020 post-Chinese aggression there.

oreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Monday said that India has a really positive intent for the expansion of BRICS and supports it with an open mind.

In a special briefing ahead the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to South Africa for the BRICS meeting, he said, "In so far as BRICS expansion is concerned, we have been clear from the start that we have positive intent and an open mind when it comes to BRICS expansion. Those are the subject matters of ongoing current discussion between the Sherpas of the BRICS in South Africa and I would not want to prejudge the outcome of the discussions."

Kwatra added, “There is considerable interest in many countries to become part of BRICS and to associate themselves with BRICS to leverage various opportunities that the alliance presents for itself."

*With inputs from agencies

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