Modi & Xi Talk, Six Nations To Join BRICS In 2024 

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – The BRICS grouping on August 24 announced that six nations — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Argentina, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia — will be included as full-time members.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced this at the BRICS summit.

The membership will be effective from January 1, 2024.

“We have consensus on the first phase of this BRICS expansion process,” Ramaphosa told reporters in Johannesburg.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could be seen having a brief interaction on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Johannesburg on August 23.

As per video footage of the conference, both the leaders could be seen engaging in a conversation while moving towards their designated seats.

Last year during the G20 Bali summit also, both Modi and Xi had exchanged pleasantries. However, last month the external affairs ministry had confirmed that both the leaders had not only exchanged courtesies at the G20 summit in Bali last November but had also spoken on the need to stabilize bilateral relations.

India and China have been in a stand-off situation for the last three years and relations at all levels have deteriorated due to tensions on the Line of Actual Control.

The two sides have held 19 rounds of talks so far to address the boundary issues in eastern Ladakh since 2020, post the Chinese aggression there.