At the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, which began on August 22, 2023, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, enlightened and highlighted the plenary session of the BRICS Summit 2023 with a plethora of issues and incentives-cum-measures of strategic worth which have the potential to significantly enhance and boost, project the trajectory of the bloc to new heights.
Highlights of PM Modi’s Address
The incentives suggested by PM Narendra Modi ranged from space cooperation to the Big Cats, from technology to participation in the Global South. Additionally, he spoke of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), which aims to strengthen financial safety.
Apart from all the above mentioned issues, the Indian Prime Minister emphasised the need to expand the BRICS bloc and include new members. Another domain where the BRICS must invest heavily is to support the Global South and the Third World states of the power hierarchy of the current international order, and the then lauded the New Development Bank for its efforts in this regard.
PM Modi also vouched for the inclusion of the African Union (AU) into the G-20 and asked member nations of the BRICS to support the cause. The AU was represented by the East African nation of Comoros in the BRICS Summit.
Common Cause to Support Big Cats
He noted that most of the countries and regions of the grouping are home to the five “Big Cats.” This can be explained in the following manner (Brazil-Jaguar, Russia-Amur Tiger, India-Royal Bengal Tiger, China-Siberian Tiger and South Africa- Lion), and thus, under the International Big Cat Alliance, a common effort to save the endangered species of the cat family was undertaken.
“This is a big step forward in space exploration and certainly a testament to the impressive progress made by India in the field of science and technology”
— Vladimir Putin, Russian President on Chandrayaan-3
PM Modi emphasised the need for space cooperation. The most noteworthy initiative in this regard was the BRICS Satellite Constellation. He suggested that the initiative can be taken a step further and enable the creation of the BRICS Space Exploration Consortium, which will work for global good like research in weather and space. Other areas of focus were related to skill mapping, technology and education. He urged other nations to follow India’s in pursuing digital technology initiatives and traditional medicine.
Outcomes of the Meeting
The immediate outcome of the BRICS Plenary meeting was the introduction of six new members in the BRICS Grouping by Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa. The new members are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They will be welcomed as formal members on January 1, 2024. Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva left the door open to the possibility of admitting other new members in future.
International Response After Success of Chandryaan-3
After the glorious, legendary and remarkable achievement of India’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, various world leaders and political figures of high repute, including heads of state, have congratulated and applauded India for its success in the space campaign.
The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, sent a congratulatory message to PM Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu-“Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of the successful landing of the Indian Space Station Chandrayaan-3 on the moon near the south pole. This is a big step forward in space exploration and certainly a testament to the impressive progress made by India in the field of science and technology. Kindly convey my sincere congratulations and best wishes for new achievements to the leadership and staff of the Indian Space Research Organisation: Govt of Russia.”
Delivering his address at the plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “I would like to congratulate India, particularly as you speak about the need for cooperation in Space. India’s spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 will be landing on the moon. We congratulate you.”
The UK High Commission in India said, “Congratulations to India and ISRO on making history with the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission – a giant step forward for the whole world.”
The French Embassy in India tweeted, “Soft landing in the history books. Congratulations ISRO & the people of India on the Chandrayaan-3 success! Through this landmark feat born of ingenuity and perseverance, India benefits all humankind’s space exploration endeavours.”
US Ambassador Eric Garcetti tweeted, “That’s how you stick a landing! Congratulations to India ISRO and the entire team on the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3! I can see exciting opportunities ahead for US-India Space collaboration.”
The 14th NASA Administrator said, “Congratulations, ISRO, on your successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar South Pole landing! And congratulations to India on being the 4th country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. We are glad to be your partner on this mission!”
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