Eurasia can regain role as trade route of world: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Eurasia is filled with great energy and dynamism, and it could regain its role as a leading economic corridor and trade route of the world.

Addressing a combined BRICS-Eurasia meeting on Thursday, Modi thanked South African President Jacob Zuma for starting a regional outreach at the BRICS Summit.

He also thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin, the host, for a "very imaginative and historic meeting that brings together major countries of the Eurasian region", according to tweets by external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

Modi said: "We have everything to build a future of shared prosperity in Eurasia. But we must do a few things."

He proposed that the countries should build a climate of peace, goodwill and trust in the region; strengthen regional connectivity -- physical as well as digital -- and regional integration; combat terrorism and extremism and other forms of transnational crime, including money laundering and drug trafficking, according to the MEA tweets.