India will be closely watching how South Africa handles Russian President Vladimir Putin’s participation in the upcoming BRICS leaders summit. The Ramaphosa government is reportedly mulling three options.
There’s talk of moving the summit to another country, potentially even asking President Putin to not attend or running the risk of violating international laws by not arresting him on South African soil. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for President Putin over his alleged role in the forced deportation of Ukraine children to Russia.
There’s been no official reaction from the Indian government yet but as South Africa looks to find a legal way to let President Putin attend the BRICS summit in August, expert opinion in India is divided. Some former diplomats have hailed South Africa’s decision to grant those attending the BRICS summit diplomatic immunity, saying it sends a politically strong message to the West and is the sensible thing for the country to do as current head of the bloc.
Many experts also believe that the group which represents about 40% of the world’s population should keep its focus on economic challenges facing the Global South and not let the summit be derailed by global geopolitics over the war in Ukraine.
In India, there is some concern surrounding the possibility of the BRICS summit being moved to another country. China is one option that was reportedly considered.
Experts say given India’s ongoing standoff with China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to participate in person if Beijing becomes the host country and that Russia might be a more acceptable location for New Delhi.
India will also be closely watching how South Africa handles this controversy given it will be hosting G20 heads of state in September.
New Delhi is not a signatory to the ICC’s conventions and as such is not bound to execute its arrest warrants and rulings. However, despite that, sources say it’s unclear if President Putin will travel to India later this year given that US President Joe Biden and other western leaders are likely to be in attendance.
Prof. John Stremlau on SA’s BRICS summit invite to Putin:
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