BRICS Summit: PM Modi, South African President Ramaphosa discuss multilateral issues

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday reviewed bilateral ties and discussed regional and multilateral issues during a meeting on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.

"Both leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in various fields including defence, agriculture, trade and investment, health, conservation and people to people ties," the prime minister's office said.

They also exchanged views on continued coordination in multilateral bodies and regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, it added.

Ramaphosa expressed full support for India's G20 presidency and appreciated India's initiative for giving the African Union full membership of G-20, the release said, adding that the president conveyed that he looked forward to visiting New Delhi for the G-20 Summit.

The G20 Summit will be held in New Delhi from 8-10 September. It will be the first-ever G20 summit to be held in India as well as in South Asia.

PM Modi congratulated Ramaphosa on the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit and accepted the president's invitation to pay a state visit to South Africa at a mutually convenient date, the PMO said in a release.