Dhols, Rakhis, Ceremonial Welcome: PM Modi Meets Indian Diaspora in South Africa | WATCH

With Indian flags and thalis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a grand welcome as he landed in South Africa’s Johannesburg for a a three-day official visit to attend the 15th BRICS summit on Tuesday.

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

A large number of Indian community members holding Indian flags were there to meet the prime minister as he landed. Videos showed PM Modi shaking hands, and clicking pictures with the people.

After landing, the prime minister left for the  Sandton Sun Hotel in Johannesburg, which is the venue of the BRICS Summit.

Even here, he met and greeted the Indian diaspora, some of whom were carrying musical instruments to welcome PM Modi at the hotel.

PM Modi’s schedule 

Modi is set to attend the 15th BRICS Summit and he will engage in plurilateral and as well bilateral settings with leaders of BRICS and other invited countries.

At the hotel, he met with local and expatriate Indian community members and is is expected to view a model of the huge Swaminarayan Mandir which has been under construction since 2017.

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.

“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,” Modi had said before leaving.

This summit will provide a useful opportunity for BRICS to identify future areas of cooperation and review institutional development, he added.

Modi is set to take part in the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue events.

BRICS Summit

The BRICS bloc – comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.

Over 20 heads of state from Africa and the Middle East have also been invited to attend. A number of them have applied to become members of BRICS, which is one of the matters on the agenda for the Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the BRICS summit virtually due to him facing possible arrest in terms of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant if he lands in South Africa.

With PTI inputs