Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 13th BRICS Summit through video conferencing from New Delhi.

More about news:

• 5-member group adopts Counter Terrorism Action Plan.
• The 13th BRICS summit called for an “inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue” for stability in Afghanistan.
• With the agreement on Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation between space agencies, a new chapter of cooperation has begun.
• The document, titled the ‘New Delhi Declaration’, also called for addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and urged the need to uphold rights of women, children and minorities.
• The summit emphasised the importance of the principle of “non-interference” in international affairs and disputes and conflicts should be resolved by peaceful means.
• Apart from Afghanistan, the BRICS leaders also took up the conflicts in Myanmar, Syria, the tension in the Korean peninsula, Israel-Palestine violence and other territorial disputes.
• The summit’also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and the strategy to strengthen counter-pandemic cooperation and multilateral reform.
• The New Delhi Declaration called against playing politics with the pandemic and the COVID-19 virus and urged for a global effort to eradicate the virus.
• The summit called for reform of the UN Security Council and urged to “revitalise” of the UN General Assembly.

What is BRICS? How did these countries come together?

• It is an informal group of states comprising the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa. 
• It is actually a forum than a traditional-type organization with rigid membership and regulations. 
• Originally the first four were grouped as "BRIC" (or "the BRICs"), before the induction of South Africa in 2010.
• At the Fortaleza Summit (2014), in Brazil, the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) were created
• Among other areas of collaboration, matters pertaining to drug trafficking is an important area of cooperation among the BRICS member states.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/brics-seeks-inclusive-intra-afghan-dialogue/article36390830.ece

Download PDF