Honoured to welcome Prez Putin, looking forwards to talks with China: PM Modi

Asserting that India is delighted to host the 8th BRICS Summit in Goa followed by a first-ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended a warm welcome to all nations participating in the event and said that India looks forward to finding common resolve and solutions.

Taking to Facebook to post a welcome message for the arriving delegations, the Prime Minister said that he is honoured to receive Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Michel Temer of Brazil for a bilateral visit.

"President Putin's visit will give us an opportunity to consolidate and reaffirm a unique time-tested friendship and partnership with Russia. President Temer's visit will open up new areas for cooperation with Brazil, an important strategic partner," he said.

He further stated that he looks forward to useful conversations with his fellow leaders from China, South Africa, Brazil and Russia on addressing pressing international and regional challenges that stand in the way of their goals.

"As Chair of the BRICS this year, India has embraced a stronger emphasis on promoting people-to-people linkages in diverse fields including trade, sports, education, films, scholarship, and tourism. It is anchored in the belief that our people are pivotal partners in our effort to craft responsive, collective and inclusive solutions," the Prime Minister said.

Emphasising on the new initiatives that will be launched in Goa during the Summit, Prime Minister Modi expressed his optimism that the BRICS Summit will strengthen intra-BRICS cooperation and advance our common agenda for development, peace, stability and reform.

He further said that he is happy that India is facilitating an outreach Summit with the BIMSTEC leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sir Lanka and Thailand.

"Representing nearly two thirds of humanity together, we hope to tap the potential for cooperation and the dividends this will bring. India looks forward to building bridges to new partnerships and finding common resolve and solutions to our entrenched problems," the Prime Minister said.