Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Johannesburg on Tuesday to take part in the 15th Brazil, India, Russia, China, South Africa (BRICS) summit there from August 22-24. Thereafter, he will visit Greece before returning home. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in 40 years.

Giving details of his schedule, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said here during a news conference on Monday that this will be the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said India has a “positive intent” and an “open mind” for the expansion of the five-nation grouping. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not participating in the high-profile event.

The BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.

Asked whether Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Kwatra only said the schedule of the Prime Minister’s bilateral meetings is being finalised.

Modi may hold bilateral meetings with other heads of States on the sidelines of the summit, it was learnt.

He may meet Chinese President Jingping. This interaction holds significance in the backdrop of ongoing military level talks at the Major General level to finds ways to ease tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

The two sides on May 14 had held Corps Commander level talks involving Lt Generals of the two armies at the LAC in an effort to fast forward the disengagement process from the flashpoints at Depsang and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh.

These talks were followed by Major General level talks on May 18 and over the subsequent days. The parleys were held in an apparent bid to ensure peace and tranquility at the LAC.

Modi will also participate in a special event “BRICS -- Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue” being organised after the summit of the five-nation grouping.

Expansion of BRICS is a major agenda item of the summit. Around 23 countries have submitted their applications for membership of the grouping.

The Foreign Secretary said the modalities for inclusion of new members into the BRICS are being discussed among the Sherpas of the grouping.

“I would not want to prejudge the outcome of the discussions,” he said.

Asked whether the BRICS is contemplating having a common currency, the Kwatra said there are several prerequisites for such a common currency framework. He said the discussion in BRICS has focussed on trade in the national currency.

The Foreign Secretary also said a business delegation from India will also be travelling to South Africa to attend the Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Forum.

“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..,” Kwatra said.

He said the theme of the BRICS Summit this year is ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism’.

After completing his engagements in Johannesburg, the Prime Minister will travel to Greece for an official visit on August 25 on a special invitation of his counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Both the sides will explore ways to deepen and expand defence and security partnerships among other important areas.

“During the Prime Minister’s visit to Greece, both sides will look to expand and diversify trade and investment segment of cooperation, deepen and expand defence and security partnership, infrastructure cooperation, shipbuilding industry...The visit would give both sides an opportunity to discuss also the regional and global issues of mutual interest and help broaden and deepen our bilateral engagement,” the Foreign Secretary said.

As regards, the Prime Minister’s visit to Greece, MEA had said last week the two countries enjoy civilizational ties, which have strengthened in recent years through cooperation in areas like maritime transport, defence, trade and investments and people-to-people ties.

Modi’s visit to Athens on August 25 assumed significance as it would be the first prime ministerial visit from India since then PM Indira Gandhi visited Greece in September 1983.

Then Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou visited India thrice -- in November 1984 for Indira Gandhi’s funeral, in January 1985 to attend a summit on nuclear disarmament and in January 1986 on a bilateral state visit as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day function.