St. Petersburg: Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor, participated in the BRICS NSAs' meeting held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday. During the morning sessions, he addressed contemporary security issues, including Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Additionally, Doval, often referred to as the "spymaster," stressed the rising threat of terrorism and underscored the need for collaborative efforts within the BRICS framework to tackle this challenge.
Notably, Russia is holding the BRICS chairmanship for the year 2024. BRICS is an informal group of states comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, with new members Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the grouping in 2023.
Those who attended the high-profile event on Wednesday included China's Member of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Political Bureau and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also the top leader in dealing with the ongoing India-China border talks. At the venue of the conclave, Doval also had a brief interaction with Chinese foreign. Doval and Wang are set to hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of the BRICS conclave.
BRICS unity is guiding light: Doval
Doval remarked that the wide participation testified to the urgent need to reform multilateralism if credibility were to be restored. He noted that all ways of handling sensitive issues of common concern were no longer capable of addressing modern threats and new situations.
"The wide participation testifies to the fact that there is an urgent need to reform multilateralism if we are to restore credibility. All ways of handling sensitive issues of common concern are no longer capable of addressing modern threats and new situations. In this context, I am particularly happy that the countries of the Global South are present with us today in St. Petersburg," said Doval.
"India's global outreach is rooted in the fundamental principles of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is one family," he added.
Further, the Indian NSA underscored the BRICS unity on several sensitive issues and added it remains a guiding light at a time when the world is facing multiple issues. "The BRICS spirit of mutual respect and understanding, solidarity, equality, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus remains our guiding light as we deliberate on many crucial issues," it said.
