India handed over to China the chairmanship of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) from January 1, 2022.This is stated in the message of the Indian Foreign Ministry posted on its website on Wednesday following the meeting of sherpas and sous-sherpas of the BRICS countries.
"During the meeting of sherpas and su-sherpas, the BRICS chairmanship was transferred to China. China also presented the priorities of its upcoming presidency, which begins on January 1, 2022," the Indian Foreign Ministry said. In addition, the BRICS partners agreed to support Beijing in this role.
The participants of the meeting also summed up the results of New Delhi's chairmanship in the association in the outgoing year. "They approved the actions taken by India, despite the restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, to further strengthen cooperation between the BRICS countries. The BRICS strategic partnership has been developing throughout the year in the interests of the countries and peoples of the group, BRICS has become stronger and more dynamic," the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
During the year, about 150 BRICS events were held, 20 of which were held at the ministerial level. In September, a virtual BRICS summit was held, following which the Delhi Declaration was adopted, confirming the countries' determination to fight the coronavirus pandemic, deepen partnership on political and security issues, economy and culture, the Indian Foreign Ministry recalled.
The acronym BRICS is derived from the names of countries in English (South Africa joined the organization in December 2010, before that it was called BRIC). The purpose of the association, established in 2006 on the initiative of Russia, is to develop comprehensive cooperation between the participating countries.
India's chairmanship in the BRICS this year coincided with the fifteenth anniversary of the unification.
