PMINDIA

Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin,

Your Excellency President Xi Jinping,

Your Excellency President Jacob Zuma,

Your Excellency President Dilma Rousseff,

I thank our host, President Putin, for excellent arrangements for today’s meeting and for his leadership of BRICS.

Congratulations for hosting a very successful 7th BRICS Summit.

Excellencies,

We stand united in strongly condemning the dreadful acts of terrorism in Paris. We express our deepest sympathy and support to Russia for the loss of life in Sinai. Ankara and Beirut are also reminders of terror’s growing spread and impact.

The entire humanity must stand together as one against terrorism. The need for a united global effort to combat terrorism has never been more urgent. This must also be a priority for BRICS nations.

There was a time when the logic of BRICS and its lasting capacity were being questioned. We have provided proof of the relevance and value of BRICS through our actions. And, this has come at a time of huge global challenges.

The New Development Bank, the Currency Reserve Arrangement, Strategy for BRICS Economic Cooperation – these are clear evidence of our vision and our resolve. Together, we can also give shape to G20.

India attaches the highest importance to BRICS. We are honoured to assume the Chairmanship of BRICS from 1st February, 2016 and build on the great work done by other Members.

The theme of India’s BRICS Chairmanship will be “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions” which, in short, will be ‘BRICS’. It aptly describes the ethos of our group.

We are pleased that a BRICS partner, China, takes over the Presidency of G20 in December 2015. We assure China of full support during its Presidency.

Thank you.