New Delhi - Global economic recovery is closely linked to the performance of the so-called BRIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India and China, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday before heading to a economic summit in Russian. Singh will attend the BRIC summit in the city of Yekaterinburg on Tuesday, where the global economic downturn is expected to dominate discussions.
"Brazil, Russia, India and China together account for 40 per cent of the world population and 40 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP). Global economic recovery is closely linked to the success of the BRIC economies," Singh said in a statement.
He added that India is "ready to play our part in coordinating international efforts to overcome the ongoing financial and economic slowdown."
The BRIC summit will be held with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a regional security group comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan, along with Iran and Mongolia, have observer status with SCO and Singh is expected to meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the sessions, an Indian diplomatic official said.
It would be the first meeting between Singh and Zardari since India halted a four-year bilateral dialogue after the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai.
India blames the Pakistan-based Islamic militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba for the attack that left more than 170 people dead.
India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said last week that while India would like to resume the dialogue, it was necessary for Pakistan to take "certain steps" to create the right atmosphere.
India has demanded Pakistan carry out investigations and punish those responsible for the Mumbai attack.
The summit is Singh's first foreign trip in his second term as prime minister.
