Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for a visit to South Africa and Greece tomorrow. Briefing media in New Delhi today, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, the Prime Minister will depart tomorrow morning for Johannesburg where he will participate in the 15th BRICS Summit that starts tomorrow and concludes on the 24th of August. He informed that tomorrow evening, Mr Modi will participate in the BRICS Leaders' Retreat where discussions are expected on global developments of concern. Mr Kwatra added that on Wednesday, Prime Minister will participate in the BRICS Summit which will focus on Intra BRICS Cooperation, reform of the multilateral system, and counter-terrorism. He further informed that on the 24th, the Prime Minister will attend BRICS Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue.
 
Mr Kwatra stated that Mr Modi had visited South Africa in July 2016 and July 2018. He said, South Africa is the incumbent BRICS Chair and this will be the first in-person BRICS Summit since 2019. The Foreign Secretary said, for the 15th BRICS Summit, a business delegation from India is also traveling to South Africa to attend the BRICS Business Tracks meetings and also the meetings of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women Business Alliance, and the BRICS Business Forum.
 
Mr Kwatra informed, after completing his engagements in Johannesburg, the Prime Minister will travel to Greece for an official visit on the 25th of August at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Greece. He said, there will be a ceremonial welcome for the Prime Minister in Athens. The Foreign Secretary added Mr Modi will visit the tomb of the unknown soldiers, and meet with business leaders and Indian Diaspora. He remarked that the last Prime Ministerial visit from India to Greece was in 1983. Mr Kwatra stated that Greece is one of India's important European partners. He added, both India and Greece are not just modern democracies but also share close and age-old historical and cultural relations.