BRICS summit: PM Modi shows respect to national flag, avoids stepping on it

New Delhi, Aug 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, while arriving on the dais prior to the commencement of the BRICS plenary session in Johannesburg, avoided stepping on the national flag as flags of the BRICS nations were kept on the floor of the dais, to denote standing positions of all leaders for a photo opportunity prior to the commencement of the plenary session.

However, PM Modi avoided stepping on the national flag and picked it up and kept it in his pocket. Seeing him do so, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, who was accompanying him to the dias, picked up the South African flag and gave it to an aide.

When the aide asked PM Modi to hand over the flag, the Prime Minister chose to keep it in his pocket.