India’s BRICS Sherpa Dammu Ravi participates in meeting hosted by Russia

India’s BRICS Sherpa, Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi on Thursday participated in a meeting hosted by Russia.

Russia is notably holding the BRICS chairmanship for the year 2024.

“India’s BRICS Sherpa, Secy (ER) Dammu Ravi participated in a meeting hosted by the current BRICS Chair, Russian Federation,” the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, wrote in a post on X.

“Secy (ER) conveyed views on a range of issues being discussed in the BRICS format,” the post further read.

The Foreign Ministers of BRICS nations met in June this year in Russia. They held a meeting in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod.

Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), led the Indian side at the meeting, in what marks the first foreign assignment for India’s foreign policy under the third consecutive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The joint statement of BRICS Foreign Ministers read, “The Ministers expressed strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. They strongly condemned the inhumane terrorist attack on 22 March 2024 at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow.”

“They reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border terrorism and terrorism financing and safe havens. They reiterated that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with international law,” it said.

It was the first meeting of foreign ministers since the expansion of BRICS in 2023. The 10 full members of the association include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa with new members Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the grouping in 2023.