The minister says a globalised world will give due regard to trust and transparency

The BRICS countries must live up to their commitments to sovereign equality, territorial integrity and international law, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday. Addressing a virtual meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers, Jaishankar also called on the grouping to display “zero tolerance” cross-border terrorism.

"The BRICS must display zero tolerance for terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism. A globalised and digitised world will give due regard to trust and transparency," he said.

Jaishankar's comments are clearly aimed at both Pakistan and China and they assume significance in the backdrop of the lingering border row between India and China in eastern Ladakh.

The minister further said that the knock-on effects of the Ukraine conflict have led to a sharp increase in costs of energy, food and commodities and it must be mitigated for the sake of developing countries.

"The BRICS should unanimously and specifically support UN Security Council reform. Together, we should press for credible commitment of resources by developed nations for climate action and climate justice," he said.

The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade. The meeting was hosted by China.

According to an External Affairs Ministry statement, the leaders exchanged views on furthering intra-BRICS cooperation on the three pillars of political and security, economic and finance, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

“They reiterated that the BRICS countries shall continue work together to contain the spread and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and supported the leading role of the WHO in combating the pandemic; the importance of the on-going discussions in the WTO including on TRIPS waiver proposal; and called for the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,” it said.

The statement said that the leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and called for a dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict.

“The ministers expressed strong condemnation of terrorism whenever, wherever, and by whom-so-ever and also expressed commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists,” it said.