India to mount diplomatic offensive against Pakistan at BRICS meet

Benaulim (Goa):Seeking to further isolate Pakistan on terror, India will mount a major diplomatic offensive against it and push for stepped up cooperation, including support for a comprehensive global convention to tackle the menace, when it hosts the annual summit of BRICS, a 5-nation grouping representing nearly half of the world’s population.

The summit, being attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and leaders of Brazil and South Africa, is likely to deliberate on a range of key issues including confronting threat of terror and boosting trade and investment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the leaders will discuss ways to address “pressing international and regional challenges that stand in the way of our goals”.

“I am optimistic that the BRICS Summit will strengthen intra-BRICS cooperation and advance our common agenda for development, peace, stability and reform,” the Prime Minister said in a Facebook post.

The five BRICS countries represent over 3.6 billion people, or half of the world population and they have a combined GDP of USD 16.6 trillion.

India is likely to push for unity among the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) members to remove the logjam at the UN on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) for effectively dealing with terror. Initiated by India, the CCIT is stuck at the UN due to lack of agreement among its members about the definition of terrorism.

India is also expected to push for enhanced cooperation among BRICS nations in the area of counter-terrorism.

Preceding the BRICS summit, Modi is likely to raise the issue of terrorism with Putin and other leaders tomorrow when a series of bilateral meetings are slated at the seaside venue.

Addressing a press conference today, India’s envoy to Russia Pankaj Saran, replying to a question on Russia’s recent military exercise with Pakistan, said India expected Moscow to reflect on its concerns.

As the top leaders of the grouping meet within weeks of Uri attack by Pakistan-based terrorists, India will be forceful in its demand at BRICS Summit as also the BIMSTEC outreach meet being held the same day, for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism, including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them.

“Representing nearly two thirds of humanity together, we hope to tap the potential for cooperation and the dividends this will bring,” Modi said on the first-ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit.

India has made strong references both at UNGA as well as G-20 regarding Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism. .

The Prime Minister, without naming Pakistan, had told the G-20 that “one single nation in South Asia” is spreading “agents of terror” in the region and it must be isolated.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in her address to the UN General Assembly, had said confessions of captured terrorists involved in strikes in India, including Uri, are a “living proof” of Pakistan’s complicity in cross-border terror.

Apart from the heads of governments of BRICS who will attend the Summit on October 16, Prime Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar (State Counsellor) will be here to participate in the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meet.

New Delhi will also make all out efforts to revive Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) when these leaders attend the BRICS- BIMSTEC outreach meet.

This also assumes significance given the collapse of recent SAARC summit after four countries apart from India pulled out of the meet to be hosted by Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, maintaining that environment was not conducive to holding such an event.

Indian officials have made it clear that New Delhi’s effort would be to have “strong language” used in the BRICS outcome document on terrorism, including on how to deal with countries that provide sanctuaries, safe havens and finances.

“Terrorism is a global problem. It cannot be tackled individually and has to be tackled collectively. We cannot have a differential policy towards terrorism. There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist. So, these are the issues on which there will be reiteration of national positions,” Secretary (Economic Relations) in External Affairs Ministry Amar Sinha had said.

During the meeting of National Security Advisors (NSA) of BRICS grouping, India had strongly pitched for action to be taken against not only the sources of finance but also sources from where terrorists get arms and ammunition.

Three MoUs, including those on cooperation in the area of environment and customs, have been agreed upon by the BRICS countries, Sinha had said, adding the pact pertaining to customs will help in breaking the trade barriers between these countries.

The other key issues to be taken up during these significant diplomatic outreach events include cooperation in areas of economy, tourism, connectivity, cultural, education and sports.

The main BRICS Summit on October 16 will begin with a photo opportunity followed by restricted talks between the leaders and later a meeting of business captains from the member-countries. In the second half, after the speech by the leaders, there will be BRICS and BIMSTEC retreat.

Security situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan is also expected to be discussed when the BRICS leaders take up important regional and international matters.

Unprecedented security in Goa for BRICS Summit

Panaji: Ahead of the BRICS summit, Goa’s beaches have been turned into fortresses while strong police presence is kept on all the main highways and lanes leading to the venue of the event, to be attended by heads of various nations.

The summit begins tomorrow in Benaulim village of South Goa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also take part in the event.

The state police have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of traffic along the roads near the Dambolim airport and on the way leading to the main venue.

While the Coast Guard has maintained aerial and seaward surveillance in the Arabian Sea, Marine police personnel are deployed in the rivers of the state.

Several police personnel have been posted on the beaches.

The temporary bunkers and tents have been erected on the beaches and at several stretches, the movement of people is restricted.

“Without going into details of the security arrangements, I would like to mention that seven companies of para military forces will be assisting Goa police to manage law and order along with the police force from Maharashtra and Karnataka,” Manoj Kumar Sahoo, State secretary (Protocol) told PTI today.

He said the anti-sabotage checks are conducted at all the venues.

“Goa police which is gearing up for this event have already taken lessons from Delhi police who have the experience of holding such summit in the past. A team of Goa police trained for over a month with Delhi police to handle detailing of the law and order during the event,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Vimal Gupta said.

The aircraft carrying heads of state would be landing at INS Hansa, a naval base near Dabolim airport, and from there they would go to the venue by road.

The Dabolim airport will not be used by the heads of state and the delegates, Airport director B C H Negi.

The Goa government has already banned fishing and water sports activity till October 18. Flying has also been banned in the areas around the venue.

Global media descends on Goa for BRICS coverage

Benaulim (Goa): Ahead of the BRICS Summit beginning here tomorrow, journalists from leading global media outlets have descended on Goa, to catch the action as it happens.

“All major media organisations, including BBC, Reuters, AFP and Xinhua of China registered for the mega event. So far, around 280 journalists from international media organisations, have reached Goa for BRICS coverage,” a senior MEA official told PTI.

Around 370 foreign media organisations had registered for the Summit, the official said.

Among those covering the event is Euro Vision and Russia Today America.

The foreign correspondents have been in touch with their respective embassies for local logistics, besides the help being extended to them by the hosts, the official said.

This is the first time ever that foreign media is attending any major event hosted by the MEA, the official added.

India is hosting the 8th BRICS summit on October 15-16, followed by the first-ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit.

Leaders attending the Summit include Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Michel Temer of Brazil.

BRICS for greater coordination among EMEs to push growth

Aguada (Goa):Finance ministers of the BRICS grouping today called for greater coordination among member nations to protect the interest of emerging economies, while discussing strategies to push reforms for enhancing global growth.

At the meeting of the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, attended by Arun Jaitley and Urjit Patel, here the five emerging market economies also stressed on the need for timely implementation of the IMF quota reforms.

That apart, they discussed policy instruments that are being used by them in ensuring that the growth of their domestic economies is stimulated.

They also discussed strategies on enhancing global growth, key issues of co-operation under the G-20 agenda, international financial architecture and regulatory reforms and the way forward on new areas of co-operation.

The meeting precedes the two day Summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) grouping beginning tomorrow.

“During the meeting, the countries agreed that the BRICS economies have a vital role to play in ensuring that the global economy is rejuvenated. The need for BRICS countries to co-operate and co-ordinate on the G20 issues was re-iterated,” a finance ministry statement said.

They discussed ways and means by which the BRICS nations can ensure that the interest of the emerging market economies are addressed in the various work streams of G20.

“The timely implementation of the 15th General Review of Quotas was emphasised by all the BRICS countries,” the statement added. The quota reforms at International Monetary Fund (IMF) are aimed at giving greater say to developing nations in its functioning.

The members also discussed the way forward on new areas of co-operation proposed by India, namely, BRICS Institute of Economic Research and Analysis as well as BRICS Credit Rating Agency.

PTI