Ajit Doval attends meeting hosted by China

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended a virtual BRICS meeting hosted by Chinese NSA Yang Jiechi on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening “political and security cooperation” within the five-nation grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. On Wednesday, New Delhi also hosted a border security conference of SCO countries, that includes officials from China, Russia, Pakistan and Central Asian countries. “With profound changes in the international landscape interwoven with a pandemic unseen in a century, our world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday, adding that China would work with BRICS members to “further consolidate political mutual trust, deepen political and security cooperation, uphold the five countries’ security and development interests, and contribute to world peace and stability”. The virtual meeting came a week ahead of the BRICS summit on June 24 hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of Brazil and South Africa.