New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday held discussions with his Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on the sidelines of the ongoing 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

“Nice to meet FM Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu of Nigeria at BRICS India 2026. Our conversation focused on economic cooperation and people-to-people ties,” EAM Jaishankar stated on X, sharing a glimpse of the meeting.

“Good to meet FM Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla of Cuba on the sidelines of BRICS India 2026. Had a useful exchange on our South-South cooperation,” EAM Jaishankar stated in a separate post on X.

Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar met his Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenkov and discussed bilateral ties and current regional developments.

“Glad to meet FM Maxim Ryzhenkov of Belarus today. Reviewed our bilateral ties with a focus on increasing trade and investments, connectivity, tourism and people-to-people contacts. Also exchanged perspectives on current regional developments. Wished him a pleasant stay in India,” EAM Jaishankar stated on X after the meeting.

As 2026 BRICS chair, India is hosting the two-day BRICS Summit in New Delhi from Saturday, bringing together leaders of BRICS members, partner countries and outreach invitees.

India’s BRICS chairship is guided by the theme: ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of “Humanity First.” Beyond these areas, the leaders will exchange views on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance.

BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The partner countries are: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

–IANS

ksk/as