BRICS Summit: Defying Western Influence

World leaders, including Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, gather in Kazan for a pivotal BRICS summit aiming to resist Western influence. The alliance, originally Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has grown to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. A new payment system to bypass sanctions is proposed.

World leaders such as China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi have convened in Kazan, Russia, for a key BRICS summit. The meeting, seen as a response to Western influence, aims to bolster alliances within the bloc. Russia seeks to highlight its resistance to US-led efforts over Ukraine.

This significant gathering, labelled by the Kremlin as an unprecedented foreign policy event, involves representatives from 36 nations. Among proposed initiatives is a payment system alternative to SWIFT, intended to circumvent Western sanctions.

With the inclusion of Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, the original alliance has significantly expanded. The summit also underscores deepening ties between Russia and its partners, as leaders discuss strategies to sustain global stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)