Great Indian 'Namaste' steals limelight in BRICS meet, Forum disapproves 'intervention' in internal affairs

The Great Indian culture and humble salutation 'Namaste' stole limelight at the BRICS Foreign Ministers meet on Tuesday.

The crucial meet chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar "reaffirmed the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of states" and the resolution of international disputes by peaceful means.

The Joint Statement issued at the end of the meeting reaffirmed the "sole authority of the UN Security Council" for imposing sanctions and called for further consolidation and strengthening of the working methods of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees to ensure their effectiveness, responsiveness and transparency.

The Ministers reaffirmed that multilateralism should promote international law, democracy, equity and justice, mutual respect, right to development and non-interference in internal affairs of any country without double standards.

A media statement said, the Ministers expressed grave concern over the continuing public health, societal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic globally. "They expressed condolences for lives lost and pledged solidarity with the affected families. The Ministers emphasized the value of bilateral and multilateral cooperation among States to combat the pandemic and its impacts effectively". 

The BRICS ministers called for better international preparedness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and other current and future health challenges, including through mobilization of political support, necessary financial resources, strengthening of local production, transfer of technology, equitable and affordable access to medicines, vaccines, 

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Ambassador Carlos Alberto Franco França, Russian Minister Sergey Lavrov, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, and their South African counterpart Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandorare expected to participate.

The rotating BRICS Chair passed on to China for circa 2022.

This was the third time India presided over the BRICS meet after 2012 and 2016.

They strongly condemned the continuing violence in Afghanistan, especially deliberate targeting of civilians by terrorist groups. They called for an immediate, permanent and comprehensive cease-fire. They stressed the urgent necessity of the elimination of the threat of UNSC proscribed terrorist groups to lasting peace in Afghanistan.