HANGZHOU: Describing BRICS as “an influential voice in international discourse”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said it was the grouping’s shared responsibility to shape the global agenda.

Leading from the chair, Modi addressed the BRICS Leaders Meeting here, before the 8th annual Summit in Goa from October 15-16.

“We, as BRICS, are an influential voice in international discourse. It is, therefore, our shared responsibility to shape the international agenda,” he said. “Our shared responsibility to shape international agenda in manner that helps developing nations achieve their objectives,” he added. Modi said that as chair of BRICS, “‘Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions’ is the theme we have chosen which mirrors central priorities at G20 Summit”. “We’ve taken BRICS out of capitals to involve people from all walks of life. It will be an opportunity to deepen our ties and with BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries. The four other leaders who participated in the meeting of the five-member bloc included Brazilian President Michel Temer, Chinese President Xi Jinping – with whom Modi held bilateral talks earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Jacob Zuma. “Our summit next month would not only be an opportunity to deepen ties with ourselves, we will also interact with India’s neighbouring countries of BIMSTEC – Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, who have been invited for the outreach summit. We welcome you all to Goa next month,” Modi said while concluding his brief address.–PTI