New Delhi: India is getting ready to host the eighth BRICS Summit, but Indian diplomats have much more on their plate this weekend.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sit down for some very crucial meetings during the Indo-Russia, BRICS and BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meetings.
The Indian government would like to isolate Pakistan further by trying to bring the attention of world leaders to cross-border terror emanating from Pakistan.
First on the government's agenda, are the extremely important bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin.
In fact the Indian Ambassador to Moscow, Pankaj Saran, told a Russian News Agency that, “We have already conveyed to the Russian side that military cooperation with Pakistan which practices terror as a matter of State policy is a wrong approach and will only create further problems”. Therefore it is likely the Prime Minister may raise the issue with the Russian president as well.
At the same time Modi would like to reassure Putin on how much India values the strategic and diplomatic relations with Russia despite growing proximity with the US.
India and Russia are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, and both sides are likely to mark the event by signing several agreements including major defence deals.
According to reports, there have been discussions on supply of S400 Triumf long range air defense systems, Kamov helicopters, up-gradation of Sukhoi-MKI and the fifth generation fighter aircraft and these deals could be finalized in talks on Saturday.
There could also be an agreement on building more nuclear reactors.
Hours after concluding sensitive negotiations with the Russians, the Prime Minister will meet BRICS leaders over dinner in Goa on Saturday. Over 115 meetings of BRICS nations have taken place in the run up to the summit including the important meeting of National Security Advisors in Delhi in September.
Amar Sinha, a top diplomat in the ministry of foreign affairs said, “When the summit statement comes out, there will be very strong paragraphs on terrorism including how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries and safe havens and cut down on their financing”
Over the last few months and more so after the postponement of SAARC there has been a demand among foreign policy hawks about giving more importance to other regional groupings like BBIN(Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) and BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral and Technical Cooperation) of which Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are a part of.
On Sunday BRICS Leaders will have a meeting with all BIMSTEC nations to look at ways to facilitate trade between countries. India would like to strengthen this regional group in order to further isolate Pakistan diplomatically.
India is a founder member of the group which came together twenty years ago.
MEA Secretary Preeti Saran who is in-charge of BIMSTEC said, “What is very positive about this grouping is, one there are a lot of commonalities and there are no irritants in the relationship”.
Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral meetings with all heads of state from BRICS and BIMSTEC countries over the next three days. His meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping will be closely analysed. Sources say the PM will try and convince his Chinese counterpart about the need to impose sanctions on Pathankot and Uri mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar.
India and China have set up a dialogue mechanism to look at India’s NSG membership and while the issue may be raised, it is unlikely that any immediate progress will be seen. PM Modi is also likely to seek help of BRICS leaders in one-on-one meeting’s to facilitate India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Incidentally, barring India, all BRICS nations are members of the NSG
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