Prime Minister Narendra Modi to skip BRICS-Plus virtual meet on Israel-Hamas conflict today, EAM Jaishankar to attend instead. Officials announced that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would attend the virtual summit of the "BRICS-Plus" grouping on November 21 in place of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is scheduled to address the Israel-Hamas conflict.Half an hour ago
The Prime Minister's decision not to attend the summit stems from prior commitments, particularly his involvement in campaigning for ongoing State assembly elections in Rajasthan. However, this absence also underscores New Delhi's unease with discussions anticipated to be critical of Israel's actions in Gaza, which is a key issue for the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa grouping.
India's divergence from the stance taken by other members of the grouping is notable. Unlike the consensus among the other nations, India's position aligns more closely with that of the United States and other Western countries. India refrained from urging an immediate ceasefire by Israeli forces and notably abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution advocating for a ceasefire, a resolution supported by all other BRICS-Plus members. This divergence in approach highlights India's distinctive perspective on the matter.
The forthcoming summit is expected to be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the significance of the meeting despite Prime Minister Modi's absence.
IsraelGaza War 47th Day The Israeli military discovers evidence of Hamas operations in Gaza