This is the second time PM Narendra Modi is chairing the BRICS summit.
The five-nation grouping of BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) has adopted a "counter terrorism action plan" and "we have to ensure that BRICS is more productive in next 15 years," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the virtual summit of the group today.
"BRICS has made many achievements in the last one-and-a-half decade," added PM Modi at virtual meet, which is being attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Chinese president Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro. "Today we are an influential voice for the emerging economies of the world. This platform has also been useful for focusing on the priorities of developing countries," he added.
In his address, Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of Afghanistan, saying it should not become a "threat to its neighbouring countries, a source of drug trafficking and terrorism".
The citizens of Afghanistan have "fought for decades and deserve to exercise their rights of defining of what their state will look like on their own," he added, days after the new interim government named by Taliban.
While the theme for the summit is ''BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus'', the focus is expected to be on Afghanistan. Taliban, which took over Kabul nearly a month ago, has appointed hardline veterans -- including several carrying US bounty – in key posts, to which many nations have responded with caution.
Mr Putin said the withdrawal of the US and its allies from Afghanistan has led to new crisis and it is "still unclear how it will affect regional and global security".
"Global security has faced serious challenges and system of strategic stability has gone all down. Our countries have paid special attention to this issue (Afghanistan). Russia and its BRICS partners have consistently spoken for establishing for its long awaited peace and stability on Afghan soil," President Putin added.
BRICS has adopted a "Counter Terrorism Action Plan" and "we have to ensure that BRICS is more productive in next 15 years," PM Modi said.
This is the second time PM Modi is chairing the BRICS summit. Earlier he had chaired the Goa summit in 2016. The Indian Chairship of BRICS this year coincides with the 15th anniversary of five-nation group.