New Delhi

Former External Affairs Minister and Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Monday said the Centre should share details of the bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit with the opposition, adding that several key issues raised by the party needed clarity on whether they were discussed during the talks.

Speaking to ANI on bilateral meetings at BRICS Summit, Khurshid said, "What transpired within BRICS is evident to everyone; it has been laid out clearly before the world and the nation. However, the full details of bilateral talks held on the sidelines of BRICS are not always disclosed, nor is a comprehensive review provided. Sometimes, matters are alluded to, but the full picture remains unknown."

He said the opposition wanted to know whether the issues raised by Senior Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh were discussed during the bilateral meetings.

"As for what was actually discussed—representatives from our party, such as P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh have once again highlighted the four key issues that we have been raising for a very long time—issues on which we have received no response from the government, neither inside nor outside Parliament," Khurshid said.

"We now wish to know whether these matters were discussed, or—if they are to be discussed—what the scope and timing of such discussions might be," he added.

The Congress leader said it would be appropriate for the government to brief the opposition about the discussions held and the responses received. "It would be appropriate for the government to share the full details with the opposition at the right time, informing us of the actions taken and the responses received," he said.

Khurshid further said that differences between countries cannot be resolved in a single meeting and that further discussions would be required.

"However, it is true that all differences cannot be resolved in a single meeting; only time will reveal what apprehensions remain and which aspects require further discussion and clarification," he added.

The two-day summit, held on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam, brought together leaders of the eleven-member BRICS grouping and partner countries.

From Russia and China to Iran and Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic calendar remained packed on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, with PM Modi holding 15 sit-down bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Heads of Government over the last three days.

The meetings, held alongside the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, have been in addition to pull-aside interactions with various world leaders and leaders of international institutions, giving a broad sweep to India’s diplomatic engagement during its BRICS chairship.

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Among the most significant engagements were PM Modi’s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with discussions covering bilateral ties, regional conflicts, multilateral cooperation, border peace, maritime security and the priorities of the Global South.