PM to face Quad, BRICS leaders at ASEAN meet next week, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• PM Modi is expected to attend the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur from October 26-28, along with leaders from the Quad and BRICS nations.
• The East Asia Summit (EAS) will see participation from leaders of China, Russia, Japan, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Brazil and South Africa will participate as observers at the ASEAN-related summits.
• India is set to host both the Quad Summit and the BRICS Summit in 2026.
• Tensions between India and the U.S. have led to potential delays in scheduling the Quad Summit.

Detailed Insights:

• India's role as a bridge between the Quad, which includes the U.S. and its allies, and BRICS, which includes Russia and China, is becoming increasingly complex.
• Global economic challenges, such as declining growth, investment uncertainty, and supply chain disruptions, are impacting the international landscape.
• India's chairmanship of BRICS comes at a critical time, as the world faces challenges particularly affecting the Global South.
• Discussions are ongoing to schedule the Quad summit, but India-U.S. tensions have caused delays, including the cancellation of a planned summit in January 2024.
• PM Modi's visit to Kuala Lumpur will include a review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), alongside discussions on the Quad and BRICS summits.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Quad: A strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Australia, and Japan.
• BRICS: An association of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• ASEAN: A regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten Southeast Asian countries.