WATCH: PM Modi, Xi Jinping shake hands, have brief conversation at BRICS summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and had a brief conversation on the sidelines of BRICS Summit 2023 on Thursday.

PM Modi and Xi were captured on camera having a conversation as they walked to their designated seats for the BRICS leaders’ press conference on the third day of the Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

#WATCH | PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping engage in a brief interaction at the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg pic.twitter.com/1yE3jstVfx

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2023

How is it important?

The handshake between PM Modi and Xi during BRICS Summit is important as it is the first such interaction since the standoff between the Indian forces and China's Peoples Liberation Army in the eastern Ladakh in April 2020.

The relations between both the countries have soured due to tensions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

PM #Modi, Chinese Prez Xi #Jinping shake hands in Johannesburg, South Africa#BRICSSummit2023 #BRICS pic.twitter.com/Tkn3NLY4Da

— Ritesh Kumar (@riteshkumar1926) August 24, 2023

Back in November 2022, PM Modi and Xi exchanged pleasantries at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali.

The BRICS group of nations has invited six new countries to join the bloc that has pledged to champion the "Global South". The debate over the expansion of BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - topped the agenda at the three-day summit in Johannesburg.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current chair of the BRICS grouping, said Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE have been invited to join the BRICS as part of the first phase of expansion. The new membership will be effective from January 1, 2024.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi said, "On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, we have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported this expansion. Such an expansion will make BRICS stronger and more effective. In that spirit, India welcomes Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE into the BRICS family."

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, we have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported this expansion. Such an expansion will make BRICS stronger and more effective.

In that spirit, India welcomes Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran,…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 24, 2023

PM Modi congratulated Ramaphosa for the successful summit and said India has always fully supported the expansion of BRICS membership.