Putin Arrives In Delhi For BRICS Summit; Talks With PM Modi, Bilateral Meetings On Agenda

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi early Friday for a three-day visit to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand bilateral trade, investment and energy cooperation.

The Russian president was received by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. He is leading a high-level Russian delegation for the visit.

The trip marks Putin’s first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Modi-Putin Talks To Focus On Key Ties

Putin and Modi are scheduled to hold wide-ranging bilateral talks on Friday afternoon, with trade, investment, energy and defence cooperation expected to feature prominently.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss technology,

pharmaceuticals, strategic trade resilience, energy security and cross-border payment mechanisms.

Putin is scheduled to address the BRICS Business Forum on Friday and visit the INNOPROM exhibition with Modi. He will also hold separate meetings with several BRICS leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

BRICS To Tackle Global Challenges

The main BRICS summit will take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under India’s chairship.

The grouping is expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in food and energy security, healthcare, disaster resilience, supply chains, digital trade and artificial intelligence.

The summit comes against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, the West Asia conflict, disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and growing trade and tariff tensions.

India has sought to position BRICS as a stronger platform for cooperation amid a fragmented global order, with reforms to global institutions, development finance and the expansion of the New Development Bank also expected to feature.

(With inputs from agencies)