New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- Former senior Indian diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni said that the meeting between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Ma Zhaoxu yesterday was an important one, as the country prepares to chair the upcoming session.

Soni, in a conversation with ANI, said that the meeting was important at a time when efforts are being made by some interested parties to bring down the importance of BRICS. He highlighted India's commitment to multilateral diplomacy and stated that BRICS remains a significant platform, especially for India as one of its founding members. Referring to the role of China within the BRICS framework, the former diplomat stated that China has come to recognise th...