JOHANNESBURG: South African dancers received Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a traditional dance performance as he arrived in South Africa for attending the BRICS meeting on Tuesday.
After receiving a grand welcome, PM Modi walked towards the members of the Indian diaspora who converged to welcome him. The members of the Indian diaspora could be heard chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, and ‘Vande Matram’.
#WATCH | Indian diaspora welcomes PM Modi with chants of 'Vande Mataram' in Johannesburg hotel pic.twitter.com/iw6wtofvEy
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2023
The Prime Minister was formally welcomed by Paul Shipokosa Mashatile, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa at the airport.
As soon as PM Modi arrived in the South African city of Johannesburg, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, posted a video on X (formerly called Twitter) giving a detailed view of broad elements of his three-day visit to the nation.
He said, “Deputy President of South Africa received the PM on this arrival. A ceremonial guard of honour will be extended to the PM. The PM has a packed schedule as he will be attending the BRICS business forum”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the South African city of Johannesburg on Tuesday as he kickstarted the first leg of his two-nation visit.
PM Modi is in South Africa at the invitation of the country’s president Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa. The visit also marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa.
The largest gathering of heads of state and government from the Global South in recent years will take place during the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from August 22–24. BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
PM Modi will be addressing the BRICS business forum later today. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that a business delegation from India is also travelling to the country to attend the Business Tracks meetings.
“For the 15th BRICS Summit, a business delegation from India is also travelling to South Africa to attend the Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Forum”, said Kwatra.
The BRICS Business Leaders forum dialogue is taking place at Sandton Convention Centre later today. The programme director for the same is Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, South Africa, Ebrahim Patel.
This year’s BRICS is under the presidency of South Africa and is organising the first face-to-face summit since 2019 in Johannesburg. South Africa became chair of BRICS on January 1 under the theme: ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism’. (ANI)