India and Russia Strengthen Ties at BRICS Summit

Rohit Vashisht (Gurugram) -During the recent BRICS meeting in Russia, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi made several important agreements and discussed key issues with other BRICS leaders. Here are the main points from the discussions:

1. Multipolar World Order: Russia talked about the world moving towards a system where multiple countries have a say in global decisions, rather than just a few. India agreed that the world should be more balanced, with respect for each country’s independence and culture.
2. BRICS Expansion: The group added new members, which means BRICS is becoming even more influential globally. India supported this expansion, with the aim of making the world fairer and giving more importance to developing countries, especially in Africa.
3. Reforming the United Nations: Both India and Russia believe the United Nations needs changes, especially the Security Council. India has been pushing for a permanent seat at the Security Council for years, and Russia continues to back India’s demand.
4. Economic Cooperation: The leaders agreed to strengthen economic ties between BRICS nations. They focused on issues like sustainable development, climate finance, and sharing technology. Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed the need for more global trade that benefits everyone, especially within the World Trade Organization (WTO).
5. Health and Pandemic Preparedness: Health issues were also a big topic. BRICS members discussed how to ensure everyone gets access to healthcare and medicines. India’s strong pharmaceutical industry will play a major role in these efforts.

India-Russia Bilateral Agreements

1. Trade and Financial Cooperation: India and Russia committed to boosting trade between the two countries. They especially want to invest in areas like energy, infrastructure, and defense. India has been importing a lot of oil from Russia, and both nations agreed to explore more business opportunities, including technology and manufacturing. They also discussed using their own currencies instead of the U.S. dollar for trade, especially for energy deals.
2. Energy and Green Technologies: India and Russia already work together on nuclear energy, and India is interested in expanding this partnership. They also discussed renewable energy, with India looking to Russia for help with its solar energy goals.
3. Defense and Security: India and Russia have a long history of working together on defense projects, like the BrahMos missile. At the BRICS meeting, they talked about continuing these partnerships, focusing on modernizing their defense systems. They also agreed to work together on security issues, especially in areas like Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific region.
4. Space and Technology Cooperation: India’s space agency ISRO and Russia’s Roscosmos plan to work together on satellite technology and space missions. India is particularly interested in learning from Russia’s expertise in space exploration. Both countries also want to collaborate in fields like digital technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI).
5. Global Governance and Development: India and Russia agreed on the need to make international organizations like the United Nations more inclusive, ensuring that developing countries have a bigger role. They also talked about increasing the role of the BRICS New Development Bank, which provides funds for important projects in energy, agriculture, and technology.