The recently concluded three-day (1-3 July) BRICS Youth Summit 2016 in Assam’s Guwahati city is remarkably welcome development which is expected to go a long way in building camaraderie and bonhomie among the youths of the BRICS nations and help the build skill and entrepreneurship in a big way. At a time when there is dire need of mainstreaming the Northeast region into the national development narrative, holding of such a summit is seemingly a salutary step in that direction. Guwahati and Shillong entail all potentials of becoming metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Initiative for the BRICS Youth Summit to be held in India had been undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia during the first BRICS Youth Summit. Apart from proving instrumental in fostering the spirit of unity and friendship between the youth in India and the youth from the BRICS nations, it will also be helpful in exchange of ideas and opinions on a wide spectrum of issues with the youth. One can hope of convening similar summits in other parts of the Northeast region in the near future as well.
I believe that BRICS will be an important force for incremental change and reform of current institutions towards more representative and equitable governance, capable of generating more inclusive global growth and fostering a stable, peaceful and prosperous world. BRICS has a new confidence, and it was more than apparent at the summit. The only world grouping that is not region, security or trade-based, its members have come together with the determination to create a more multilateral global order.
