Prime Minister Modi arrives in South Africa to attend 15th BRICS summit

JOHANNESBURG: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly welcomed upon his arrival in South Africa on Tuesday on a three-day official visit during which he will attend the 15th BRICS summit and hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.

Modi was welcomed by South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile at Waterkloof Air Force Base where he received a ceremonial guard of honour.

“PM @narendramodi touches down at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, South Africa. Warmly received by Deputy President @PMashatile of South Africa. Accorded a ceremonial welcome upon arrival,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Modi is visiting the African country from August 22 to 24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South Africa is hosting the first in-person summit of BRICS comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, since 2019.

“PM @narendramodi touches down at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, South Africa.

Warmly received by Deputy President @PMashatile of South Africa.

Accorded a ceremonial welcome upon arrival,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a post on X.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to South Africa entails participation in the 15th BRICS Summit and engagements with leaders of BRICS and invited countries in plurilateral and bilateral settings, he added.

A large number of Indian community members, including activists of the Pretoria Hindu Seva Samaj and the local chapter of the BAPS Swaminarayan organisation, greeted the prime minister.

Modi then left for Sandton Sun Hotel in Johannesburg, the venue of the BRICS Summit.

At the hotel, he met with local and expatriate Indian community members ahead of the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue.

The Indian community members carrying national flags and musical instruments welcomed Modi upon his arrival at the hotel with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.

“Gratitude to South Africa’s Indian community for the special welcome in Johannesburg,” Modi posted on platform X along with some pictures of his interaction with the diaspora.

Two women diaspora members tied ‘rakhi’ around the wrist of Modi ahead of Raksha Bandhan, falling on August 30.

Earlier in his departure statement in New Delhi, Modi said BRICS has been pursuing a strong cooperation agenda across various sectors.

“We value that BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of concern for the entire Global South, including development imperatives and reform of the multilateral system,” he said.