"India a partner that expanded BRICS can count on": Smriti Irani at Davos
Jan 18, 2024
Davos [Switzerland], January 18 : India is a partner that the lately expanded BRICS can count on, said Union Minister Smriti Irani, adding that the country never holds hostage its supply chains for geopolitical reasons or economic interests.
"We have shown (the world) what we can do as a part of the global supply chain, by not holding our supply chain hostage for geopolitical reasons, not subjugating our supply chain for any other political or economic interests." the Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said at a session themed 'BRICS in expansion' at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"I think we are the one partner the BRICS expanded lately can count on," Smriti Irani said.
Citing a specific example when India helped many countries with PPE kits and medical essentials during the once-in-a-century pandemic, she said India upped its capacity from zero to become one of the major exporters of PPE kits.
"When there was a shutdown of movement goods and services, in India a very small segment of PPE kits was self-generated, we had no machines, no raw material, but in March (2020) when the pandemic hit us, from zero company we went upto 1,100 companies by June, becoming the second largest exporter in the world," she said.
She said that the expanded BRICS should be ready for dialogue to put together the capacities of the member countries
"Be it the South-South or the Global South, we as an expanded BRICS need to recognize that there will be conversations that will centre around our intention, given the capacities financially we bring to the table. We need to be ready for the dialogue because we have lived in a world where certain institutions have reflected our aspirations or our civilizational or cultural heritage, to understand our people our potential well," she asserted.
The BRICS grouping, initially forged in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has undergone an expansion in 2024. The newly included member countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran.
BRICS nations now represent 40 per cent of the world's population.
India has always believed that the inclusion of new members will strengthen BRICS as an organization and provide new impetus to its collective endeavours. This step will further strengthen the faith of many countries of the world in the multipolar world order.
"The expansion and modernization of BRICS sends a message that all global institutions should adapt to changing times. This is an initiative that can set an example for the reform of other global institutions established in the twentieth century," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said after the BRICS' expansion.
