Swaraj in South Africa on 5-day visit; to attend BRICS, IBSA summits

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today arrived here on a five-day visit to South Africa during which she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA -- the two major groupings where India has been playing a key role.

"Centuries old relationship! On her arrival in South Africa, EAM @SushmaSwaraj was heartily received by Deputy Foreign Minister Luwellyn Landers," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Swaraj will also attend a series of events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station.

The 1893 incident proved to be a turning point in Gandhi's fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.

During the visit, Swaraj will participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers' meeting on June 4 which is expected to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg next month.

She will also chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another bloc working to deepen coordination among the three countries on major global issues.