New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg and pitched the idea of establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also supported the expansion of BRICS

PM Modi put forth several suggestions that can be incorporated to make the cooperation between the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations more comprehensive. He pitched the idea of establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium.

“We are already working on the BRICS satellite constellation, but to move a step further, we should think about establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium,” PM Modi said.

Space research and weather monitoring can be achieved through this, PM Modi said.

The second suggestion put forward by PM Modi was extending support to the education, skill development, and technology sectors.

“To make BRICS a future-ready organisation, we have to make our society future-ready,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi also suggested cooperation on the issue of big cats. “Several species of big cats are found in the member nations of BRICS. Under the International Big Cat Alliance, BRICS nations can come together for their protection”.

Apart from this, PM Modi also suggested establishing a repository of traditional medicines.

At the plenary session, PM Modi welcomed the move to give special importance to countries of global south under South Africa’s BRICS presidency.

“India has given the highest priority to countries of the Global South under its G20 presidency,” PM Modi said at the BRICS summit.

He added, “We proposed permanent membership of G20 to African Union; I am confident that our BRICS partners will support this in the G20.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also supported the expansion of BRICS.

“India fully supports the expansion of BRICS and welcomes move to move forward on this based on consensus,” PM Modi said.