Russian President Vladimir Putin with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as they with other participants in the BRICS Plus format meeting pose for a family photo during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Turkey is determined to pursue its talks with the BRICS group of emerging market nations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday (October 24, 2024) after Ankara became the first NATO member seeking to join.

Mr. Erdogan joined the summit at the invitation of Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after asking last month to join the bloc which incorporates Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“We are determined to further our dialogue with the BRICS family, with whom we have developed close relations based on mutual respect and win-win,” he told delegates at the BRICS forum in the Russian city of Kazan.

If admitted, it would be the first NATO member to join the alliance which sees itself as a counterweight to Western powers and whose members are sharply at odds the West over several issues, notably the ongoing Mideast conflict.

“The political and financial mechanisms that emerged after World War II cannot deliver what is expected of them,” Mr. Erdogan said.

BRICS, he added, made a “unique contribution.. to the construction of a more just world” through “the development of global trade, economic growth and sustainable development goals”.

BRICS is an acronym for its five founding members although the alliance added four nations this year, three from the Middle East – including Iran.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the BRICS Outreach Session, in Kazan. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the 16th BRICS Summit in BRICS Plus format highlighted the significant strides made by nations that have gained independence from colonial rule, noting their accelerated development and socio-economic progress and asserted that the “BRICS itself is a statement of how profoundly the old order is changing.”

Also Read: PM Modi for financial integration among BRICS countries

Addressing the summit, Mr. Jaishankar said, “On the one hand, there is the steady diversification of production and consumption. Nations that attained independence from colonialism have accelerated their development and socio-economic progress. New capabilities emerged, facilitating the harnessing of more talent.”

Watch Here: PM Modi, President Xi welcome border pact, seek to rebuild ties

He said, “This economic, political and cultural rebalancing has now reached a point where we can contemplate real multi-polarity. The BRICS itself is a statement of how profoundly the old order is changing.”

Mr. Jaishankar further asserted that to create a more equitable global order, strengthening and expanding independent platforms is crucial, and that’s where BRICS comes in, making a significant difference for the Global South. He said, “First, by strengthening and expanding platforms of an independent nature. And by widening the choices in different domains and minimising undue reliance on those that can be leveraged. This is really where BRICS can make a difference for the Global South.”

The External Affairs Minister also called for reforming of the United Nations Security Council and said, “reforming established institutions and mechanisms, especially the UN Security Council in the permanent and the non-permanent categories. So too the multilateral development banks, whose working procedures are just as outdated as that of the UN. India initiated an effort during its G20 Presidency and we are glad to see Brazil take that forward.”

Urging for democratising the global economy through creating more production hubs, Mr. Jaishankar said, “democratizing the global economy through creating more production hubs. The COVID experience is a sharp reminder of the need for more resilient, redundant and shorter supply chains. For essential needs, every region legitimately aspires to create their own production capabilities.”

Also Read: BRICS countries recognize group’s importance for multipolarity: Jaishankar

He added, “correcting distortions in global infrastructure that are a legacy from the colonial era. The world urgently needs more connectivity options that enhance logistics and mitigate risks. This must be a collective endeavour for common good, with utmost respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

Citing examples of Indian initiatives like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and the Gati Shakti infrastructure, Mr. Jaishankar also called for sharing experiences and new initiatives. He said, “And fifth, by sharing experiences and new initiatives. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, its Unified Payments Interface and the Gati Shakti infrastructure, all hold a greater relevance. The International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Global Biofuel Alliance, Mission LiFE and the International Big Cat Alliance are similarly initiatives of common interest. As a First Responder, be it for natural calamities, health emergencies or economic crises, we seek to do our fair share.”