BRICS Summit: PM Modi Receives Special Welcome In South Africa, Rakhi Tied On His Hand

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday arrived in South Africa on a three-day official visit and was accorded a ‘special welcome’. He was received by South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Johannesburg, where he was also given a ceremonial guard of honour.

A large number of Indian community members, including activists of the Pretoria Hindu Seva Samaj and the local chapter of the BAPS Swaminarayan organisation, greeted the prime minister, following which he left for Sandton Sun Hotel, the venue of the key BRICS Summit. At the hotel, PM Modi met local and expatriate Indian community members, who were carrying national flags and musical instruments, and welcomed him with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.

Two women diaspora members also tied ‘rakhi’ around the wrist of the prime minister ahead of Raksha Bandhan, which is falling on August 30.

“Gratitude to South Africa’s Indian community for the special welcome in Johannesburg,” he said in a tweet and posted some pictures.

He also shared a video showing ‘special moments’ from the welcome at the airport in Johannesburg.

PM Modi also viewed a model of the huge Swaminarayan Mandir which is expected to be completed next year.

PM Modi to attend BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Modi is in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit with other world leaders. He is visiting the African country from August 22 to 24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South Africa is hosting the first in-person summit of BRICS comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, since 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the summit virtually due to him facing possible arrest in terms of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant if he lands in South Africa.

The BRICS bloc – comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.

Over 20 heads of state from Africa and the Middle East have also been invited to attend. A number of them have applied to become members of BRICS, which is one of the matters on the agenda for the Summit.