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The leaders of five major emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — that banded together in 2009 as the BRICS countries, arrived on Saturday in the western Indian state of Goa to take part in the bloc's eighth annual summit.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed his counterparts, Vladimir Putin from Russia, Xi Jinping from China, Jacob Zuma from South Africa and Michel Temer from Brazil in an offical ceremony.
Previous to the official events of the Summit, Modi and Putin met and signed important energy and military agreements, both leaders renewed their commitment to put terrorism on the BRICS summit agenda, and have called for “zero tolerance” in dealing with terrorists and their supporters.
In another meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, both leaders said they should strengthen their common security dialogue and partnership.
The summit comes at a time when tensions between the United States and Russia over the armed conflict in Syria have resurrected a dangerous Cold War rivalry.
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BRICS has been going through a lot of changes recently, as its members are experiencing all sorts of political issues. Growth in the Chinese economy is slowing, Russia was hit by Western sanctions and the low oil prices.
Brazil faces political uncertainty after Senate-imposed President Temer led a parliamentary coup against Dilma Rousseff.
The summit will be held Oct. 15-16 at the Taj Exotica hotel in Benaulim. India will hold the chair of the BRICS from February 2016 to December 2016.
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