Over 30 countries have expressed a desire to join the BRICS Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday addressing a meeting of the grouping.
Addressing world leaders at the Plenary Session of the 16th BRICS Summit, Putin said the group would discuss its expansion at the meeting but that it was important to strike a balance in any expansion, Reuters news agency reported.
During the session held at the Kazan Expo Center in the Russian city of Kazan, Putin said, "Over 30 countries have expressed the desire to join BRICS.""It would be wrong to ignore the unprecedented interest of the countries of the Global South and East in strengthening contacts with BRICS," Putin said.
"At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a balance and prevent a decrease in the effectiveness of the BRICS," he said, adding that the grouping would also discuss "acute regional conflicts," the Russian President was cited as saying by Reuters.
He further said that the group would discuss its expansion at the meeting, while keeping in mind the need to maintain efficiency, according to Reuters.
Later today, PM Modi is set to have a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.