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"We
don’t want to prejudge the outcome of discussions over BRICS
expansion," he said, ahead of a summit of the group, comprising
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, in Johannesburg
from Aug. 22-24, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to
attend.
He said BRICS is discussing boosting trade in national
currencies. But while Brazil and Russia had mentioned the
possibility of a common currency for the bloc, that is not part
of the agenda.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the summit
virtually, while his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, attends it
in his stead.
The physical meeting will be the first for leaders of the BRICS
nations since 2019, and expansion is a major part of its agenda.
Amid dissatisfaction with the prevailing world order, around 40
nations have expressed interest in joining the group, to make it
a champion of the "Global South".
Kwatra said that as the group relies on achieving a consensus,
its members would need to agree on the criteria of how it should
be expanded, and the guiding principles. Indeed, all members are
not yet on board with the idea of expansion.
A "substantive part" of discussions has focussed on boosting
trade amongst themselves in local currencies, Kwatra said.
(Reporting by Krishn Kaushik; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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