India, China ahead of US and EU members in many respects: Russian FM Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at length on the development of new centres of economic power, and financial and political influence and stated that China and India are already ahead of the United States and EU members in a number of ways when it comes to it.

Taking a sharp dig at the US, Lavrov said in his address at a joint news conference in Eritrea, that the establishment of a multi-polar world is an objective and unstoppable process and now the collective West, which includes NATO and the EU, fully controlled by Washington, is trying to reverse this process.

"The establishment of a multi-polar world is an objective and unstoppable process. The collective West - the United States, NATO and the EU, which are fully controlled by Washington - are trying to reverse this process. But these efforts are futile. The closest thing they can count on is a slight slowdown of the objective course of history," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said in an official statement quoting Lavrov.

"No visits to deliver mentor advice nor the hybrid wars of the West (including in Ukraine) can stop the development of new centres of economic power, financial and political influence. Countries like China and India are already ahead of the United States and EU members in many respects," Lavrov said.

Describing Turkiye, Egypt, countries of the Persian Gulf, Brazil and other Latin American countries as future centres of multi-polarity, Lavrov added that these are emerging as influential and self-sufficient centres in the present times.

During the joint news conference in Eritrea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the 15th BRICS summit is all set to take place in South Africa's Durban in late August this year.

Calling BRICS a manifestation of global multi-polarity, Lavrov said that strengthening regional identity in the developing regions of the world does not mean that multi-polarity is not happening in a global dimension.

"This organisation unites five countries, with more than 12 others showing an interest in joining it. Developing links between BRICS and other countries will be a central topic at the upcoming summit of the five which is to take place in August in Durban, South Africa. The clock of multi-polar history is ticking in the right direction," Lavrov said.

Since 2009, the BRICS leaders have convened 14 formal meetings and 9 informal meetings. In June 2009, the BRIC leaders held their first meeting in Russia, upgrading BRIC cooperation to the Summit level.

The BRIC leaders met for the first time in Russia in June 2009, elevating BRIC cooperation to Summit status.

Earlier in 2013, the fifth annual BRICS summit was held in Durban, South Africa. It was attended by the head of state or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.