Ramaphosa not aware that Modi won't be attending Brics summit: Presidency

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to have a telephonic phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reports that Modi might not be attending the upcoming Brics summit in person.

“The president is due to have a conversation with the prime minister of India and to date we have not received any official information coming from the Indian government giving any substance to those reports,” said Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya on Thursday.

Magwenya said all participating Brics countries have confirmed their participation at the summit taking place from August 22 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

He emphasised that Ramaphosa’s office had not been informed that other leaders, apart from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, will not be attending in person.

The South African government recently announced that after “mutual agreement” between Ramaphosa and Putin, it was agreed that Putin would participate in the summit virtually. This was done to avoid going against an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest issued against Putin in March. 

“As it stands, all member states are participating at a head of state level until we are informed otherwise,” Magwenya said.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that sources in New Delhi told the agency that Modi is likely to participate virtually in the meeting.

The foreign ministry declined to comment, while the prime minister's office did not respond when asked if Modi would travel to Johannesburg for the summit.

According to the report, an Indian government official said there is growing discomfort in New Delhi about being part of groupings such as Brics and the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) which China dominates, especially as India inches closer to the US and other Western powers. 

Relations between New Delhi and Beijing nosedived after a clash on their disputed Himalayan border in 2020 in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed. 

The SCO summit was held days after Modi returned from a state visit to Washington where President Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for him. India has also frustrated Western capitals over its unwillingness to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Instead, New Delhi has expanded trade with Moscow, buying record amounts of oil. 

India holds the presidency of the G20 grouping and will host a summit of its leaders in early September. 

TimesLIVE