Security leads first day of the BRICS summit

BRICS

Day two of the BRICS summit will get underway soon in Goa, India. Trade and counter-terrorism topped the agenda on Saturday. CCTV’s Shweta Bajaj gave us this report.

BRICS – consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — makes up 42 percent of the world’s population and accounts for $16 trillion U.S. to the world economy.

As the leaders get ready for the summit in the midst of an economic downturn, the aim is to boost trade, have better people-to-people ties, sustainable development and building a new world order. Geopolitics and a joint strategy at a world stage is also an aim to strengthen the grouping brick by brick.

A day of bilateral talks started with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their meeting ended with the signing of a pact on delivery of an advanced air defense system and an agreement for two new nuclear reactors at Kudankulam in South India.

But all eyes were on the bilateral meet between China and India. Both countries agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism and increased trade. China said India has more in common than differences, and both should build on it.

“China clearly acknowledges the issue of terrorism, the danger that it poses,” said Vikas Swarup of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. “In fact, President XI clearly said that China opposes all forms of terrorism. All manifestations of terrorism and this is an issue on which he said there should be increased coordination, cooperation with India.”

One of the most important goals is to agree on One-Belt One-Road, which aims to connect Asia to Europe through Central Asia and Europe by road and through the Indian Ocean by sea.

For India, it’s imperative to increase investment with China. That topic that will be taken up at the BRICS summit, as well as a focus on boosting trade.


Ravi Ramamurti on the first day of the BRICS summit

For more on why this year’s BRICS Summit is different from ones in the past, CCTV America’s Susan Roberts spoke to Ravi Ramamurti. He’s a Professor of International Business and Strategy and the Director of the Center for Emerging Markets at Northeastern University.