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With US President Donald Trump announcing that he is barring South Africa from participating in next year's G20 summit in Miami, the Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "self-proclaimed champion" of both Africa and the Global South and asked whether he will take up South Africa's cause with his "good friend". Trump said Wednesday that he is barring South Africa from participating in the Group of 20 summit next year in Miami and will "stop all payments and subsidies" to the country over its treatment of a US government representative at this year's global meeting. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said South Africa has been in the G20 from the very beginning simply because it is the largest economy measured by size of GDP in the African continent. "It is not there because the US is doing it some favour. It was very much present at the very first G20 Summit held in Washington DC that was chaired by ..
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called on BRICS to defend the multilateral trading system amid increasing protectionism and tariff volatility during a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers here on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. When multilateralism is under stress, BRICS has stood firm as a strong voice of reason and constructive change, Jaishankar said in a social media post. In a turbulent world, BRICS must reinforce the message of peacebuilding, dialogue, diplomacy and adherence to international law, he said. As rising protectionism, tariff volatility and non-tariff barriers impact trade flows, BRICS must defend the multilateral trading system, he said. Jaishankar's remarks come weeks after the US slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India, including an additional 25 per cent penalty for its purchase of Russian oil, among the highest in the world. The external affairs minister also called on the bloc to amplify its collective call for a comprehensive .
Russia and China have taken a common stand against "discriminatory sanctions" that hinder the socioeconomic development of BRICS member countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. Putin, who arrived here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation (SCO) summit, made the remarks in an interview with China's state-run Xinhua news agency. He said that Russia and China are paying special attention to mobilising additional resources for critical infrastructure projects, and stand united in strengthening BRICS' ability to address pressing global challenges. The Russian president said that Moscow and Beijing take a "common stand against discriminatory sanctions that hinder the socioeconomic development" of BRICS members and the world at large. Putin's remarks came in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump threatening the member countries of BRICS with 10 per cent tariffs. BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Saudi Arabia