Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in person, according to a report by Reuters.

The BRICS summit comprises five fast-growing economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The summit this year, the first one held in-person since the pandemic, will take place in South Africa from Aug. 22 to 24.

However, sources in New Delhi told Reuters that Modi will likely be attending the event virtually. No official statement has been made by India’s foreign ministry or from Modi’s office.

If true, then Modi will be the second head of state to be physically absent from the event.

Putin not attending

In July, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin announced that he would not be attending the summit, with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov representing Russia instead.

Putin currently faces arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court for war crimes, making South Africa obliged to arrest the Russian leader if he steps foot there.

Modi’s potential absence comes after India altered July’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which also included China and Russia, to a virtual format without giving an official reason.

Tense India-China relations

According to the Reuters report, New Delhi is experiencing growing reservations about being part of China-dominated organisations like BRICS and SCO, given Indian’s increasing relations with Western powers.

Indian-China relations have worsened since a border clash in the Himalayas three years ago left 20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers dead.

While India has frustrated Western governments over its position of neutrality toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly gave Modi the red-carpet treatment when he visited in June this year.

On the agenda of the upcoming South Africa summit is a discussion to expand BRICS, which India has concerns over, despite Russian and Chinese interest.

Top photo from Modi's Facebook