In the background of expected meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Ufa in Russian Federation, China on Wednesday said this meeting is an opportunity to enhance mutual trust and “pragmatic” cooperation to take bilateral ties forward.
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His meeting with Xi comes over a month after the two leaders met at Xi’an in China in May.
The Kremlin sees BRICS – a group of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – as a growing economic and political influence to challenge Western hegemony.
Modi thanked Putin, saying: “Under your (Putin’s) leadership in BRICS, India has become a member of SCO”. The Prime Minister will be participating in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The prime minister, who says yoga helps him work long hours, thanked Putin for sponsoring the worldwide Yoga Day in Russian Federation, adding that the activity should inspire everyone who wants to keep a healthy way of life.
“Our 5th meeting in a year shows the depth of the India – China relationship”, Modi was quoted by External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup as telling Xi.
Hua said recalling Xi’s visit to India last year followed by Modi’s tour of China in May this year.
The SCO summit is likely to see India, which is now an observer of the grouping, acquire full membership. “PM @narendramodi tells President Xi”, according to another tweet.
One specific development was the creation of a BRICS bank, which officially came into being on Tuesday.
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Jaishankar said a common theme was increasing cooperation within the SCO.
