China Confirms Xi Jinping To Visit India For 18th BRICS Summit In Delhi

In an exclusive interaction, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India addressed key regional and bilateral issues spanning BIMSTEC, BRICS, and Bangladesh-India relations. Discussing the invitation extended to BIMSTEC for the BRICS Summit, he emphasized that regional platforms bring constructive engagement to multilateral forums. He described the nature of regional integration as cooperative competition, balancing shared interests, values, and mutual respect while recognizing regional asymmetries. Addressing Bangladesh-India bilateral ties, the High Commissioner highlighted the necessity of collaboration between governments and people. He underlined the Teesta water-sharing issue as an essential litmus test for mutual trust, respect, and shared ecological and economic benefits between the two nations, noting the profound human impact on over two crore people. Furthermore, he noted Bangladesh's active commitment to regional mechanisms like BIMSTEC, SAARC, and BBIN, while underscoring that diplomacy and bilateral ties must prioritize human aspirations, dignity, and democratic principles.

A special address outlines India's vision for space exploration, highlighting collective responsibility, multilateral cooperation, and sustainability. The space domain must be guided by international law and open scientific data to serve humanity. ISRO's contributions encompass weather forecasting, disaster management, navigation, and launching over four hundred and thirty satellites for thirty-four countries. Key milestones include Chandrayaan-3 landing near the lunar south pole and Aditya-L1 studying the Sun. India aims to establish an Indian space station by 2035 and land an Indian on the Moon by 2040. India's private space sector is expanding alongside ISRO. Bilateral space collaboration with France, which began at Thumba in the 1960s, continues to grow across advanced technologies and Earth observation. A call was made at the space summit in Paris for global partners to explore, innovate, and protect space together.

Speaking at an India Today roundtable on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, South African High Commissioner to India Anil Sooklal shared his perspective on the evolution of BRICS over the past two decades. He emphasized that the assembly of leaders in New Delhi demonstrates the Global South's capacity to provide global leadership amidst an increasingly fractured international order. Addressing geopolitical reforms, Sooklal highlighted BRICS' consistent advocacy for reforming global governance structures, including the United Nations Security Council, noting that the Johannesburg II Declaration explicitly recorded support from Russia and China for the aspirations of India, Brazil, and South Africa. On economic cooperation, he clarified that de-dollarisation is a narrative pushed by the Global North rather than an explicit BRICS agenda, reflecting instead a natural shift in global trade dynamics. Furthermore, Sooklal stressed the immense untapped potential in bilateral trade, direct air connectivity, and youth startup collaboration between India and South Africa.

In an interview on global affairs, BJP National Vice President and foreign policy expert Ram Madhav discusses India's strategic positioning across international forums including BRICS, the G20, the SCO, and the Quad. Responding to political criticism regarding the relevance of multilateral groupings, he highlights that BRICS represents over 60 percent of the world population and serves as a vital platform for the Global South. Addressing India-China ties, Madhav clarifies that bilateral concerns, such as border negotiations and a 100-billion-dollar trade deficit within 159 billion dollars of total trade, are handled bilaterally rather than at BRICS summits. Analyzing systemic shifts, he notes that the post-World War II order is ending and describes the transition as an interim where uncontrollable forces arise. Highlighting non-state power dynamics termed 'hetero polarity', Madhav underscores the rising influence of big tech corporations and investors, calling for international ethical frameworks and regulation around artificial intelligence alongside critical climate and resource resilience.