Summary:
Chennai: India has assumed the BRICS (Brazil Russia India China South Africa) Chairmanship for 2021 and is set to hold this year's summit. On 19 February External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar launched India's BRICS 2021 website at the BRICS Secretariat at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi. Asked about India assuming the BRICS Chairmanship this year China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Beijing backs New Delhi in hosting the summit. “We are committed to deepening strategic partnership within it to consolidate solidarity and cooperation” Wang said. China's announcement backing India to host the BRICS summit came as the armies of the two countries began disengagement of troops locked in over eight-month-long standoff in eastern Ladakh..