Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in New Delhi ahead of a meeting of BRICS group leaders, with global conflicts and economic challenges likely to define the weekend’s agenda.
The Russian president was welcomed in the Indian capital on Friday by External Affairs Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh and a delegation of photographers.
The two-day summit will bring together the 11-member bloc to discuss ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, alongside oil markets and global trade.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive Saturday through Sunday, marking his first visit to India since 2019.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed optimism on social media Friday, stating that the conference is expected to deliver “positive and meaningful discussions on various issues, conducted with a view to global welfare.”
He added, “With the virtuous, one may debate and share friendship; with the unvirtuous, one should have no dealings whatsoever.”
Modi is scheduled to hold talks with Putin later on Friday, aiming to build on one of New Delhi’s most important strategic relationships.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to arrive Friday as the Iran war continues.
Harsh V. Pant of the Observer Research Foundation said the Gulf conflict would likely serve as “the central fault line this time during the BRICS summit.”
He noted that what was once hailed as an achievement—the bloc’s expansion—now appears to be a major constraint.
BRICS defines itself as a forum for 11 emerging markets and developing countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
The first BRICS summit took place in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The group has since expanded to include 10 partner nations: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
