PM Modi picks up Indian flag on stage ahead of BRICS photo op, SA president follows

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his respect for the national flag on Wednesday (August 23), when the country is drenched in patriotic fervour for the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. Attending the BRICS Summit in the capital of South Africa, Johannesburg, he picked up the flag kept on the stage to denote the position of the heads of state from the BRICS nations. 

PM Modi noticed the Indian Tricolour on the stage during the group photo at BRICS and made sure not to step on it. Subsequently, he picked it up and kept it with him. Moments later, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa followed suit and also picked up the national flag of South Africa. Later, a summit official immediately arrived on stage and took the South African flag from President Ramaphosa and also asked PM Modi but he decided to keep the Indian flag with him in his pocket.

#WATCH | Johannesburg, South Africa | PM Narendra Modi notices Indian Tricolour on the ground (to denote standing position) during the group photo at BRICS, makes sure to not step on it, picks it up and keeps it with him. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa follows suit. pic.twitter.com/vf5pAkgPQo

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

BRICS group photo

The BRICS leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre to attend the plenary sessions. Prior to attending the sessions, the leaders posed for a BRICS family photograph.

Significantly, PM Modi and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping were seen standing apart from each other as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held their hands together. Other than PM Modi, Jinping and Ramaphosa, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Brazil President Lula da Silva were also in the BRICS group photo. The plenaries are scheduled to be followed by a cultural performance and a banquet dinner hosted by President Ramaphosa.