BRICS seeks ‘inclusive’ intra-Afghan dialogue

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 13, Sep 2021

Why in News?

The 13th BRICS summit held virtually called for an “inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue” for stability in Afghanistan.

What is BRICS?

• BRICS is the international grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• This was set up as a move towards greater multi­polarity; hence the spread across three continents and both hemispheres.
• In terms of GDP, China occupies the second position; India the fifth; Brazil the ninth; Russia the 11th; and South Africa the 35th.
• In terms of growth rates, China grew at 6%; India at 4.5%, Russia 1.7%, Brazil 1.2% and South Africa 0.1%.
• BRICS does not exist in form of organization, but it is an annual summit between the supreme leaders of five nations.

About the Recent BRICS Summit and Afghanistan issue:

The summit was dominated by the developments in Afghanistan.

• The BRICS leaders called for an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue for stability, civil peace, law and order in Afghanistan.
• The countries stressed the need to prevent attempts by terrorist organisations to use Afghan territory as a terrorist sanctuary and to carry out attacks against other countries.
• The document issued at the end of the summit, titled the New Delhi Declaration, also called for addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and urged the need to uphold the rights of women, children and minorities.

Developments in the 2021 meeting:

• In the 6th meeting of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group under the Chairship of India, finalized the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan containing specific measures to implement the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy adopted by BRICS Leaders in 2020.
• The Action Plan is aimed at further strengthening result oriented cooperation between BRICS countries in areas such as preventing and combating terrorism, radicalisation, financing of terrorism, misuse of internet by terrorists, and curbing travel of terrorists.
• During the Working Group meeting, the BRICS countries also exchanged views on terrorism threat assessment at national, regional and global level and resolved to further enhance counter terrorism cooperation in line with the Action Plan.

Facts for Prelims:

Thamirabarani or Porunai civilisation

A carbon dating analysis of rice with soil, found in a burial urn at Sivakalai in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, by the Miami-based Beta Analytic Testing Laboratory has yielded the date of 1155 BC, indicating that the Thamirabarani or Porunai civilisation dates back to 3,200 years.