Friday 11 / September / 2026
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Indian capital on Friday ahead of the two-day BRICS summit, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as global economic challenges, expected to dominate the agenda.
Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are scheduled to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to meet Modi on the sidelines of the summit, according to Indian diplomatic sources.
Putin arrived at Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi, where he was received by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, according to footage broadcast by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.
Xi’s visit will be his first to India since 2019 and represents the latest step in a cautious improvement in relations between the two Asian powers following a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border six years ago.
Relations between India and China have gradually improved, with air links, visa arrangements and high-level diplomatic contacts being restored. However, significant differences remain, including the unresolved border dispute, India’s widening trade deficit with China and broader strategic competition between the two countries.
BRICS, established in 2009 as a grouping of major emerging economies seeking greater influence in global institutions traditionally dominated by Western powers, has expanded significantly in recent years. The grouping now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose positions on the Middle East conflict differ sharply.
Analysts say the expanded membership could make consensus more difficult.
“The Gulf conflict is going to be the central fault line this time during the BRICS summit,” said Harsh V. Pant of India’s Observer Research Foundation.
“What was seen until last year as an achievement — the expansion of BRICS — today looks like a big constraint on BRICS,” he said.
The participation of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to place the Middle East conflict high on the summit agenda. It will also be his first visit to India as president.
“The war in Iran will provide a stern test of the (expanded) group’s cohesion,” said Shilan Shah of Capital Economics, pointing to the failure of BRICS foreign ministers to agree on a joint statement during their meeting in New Delhi in May.
India maintains relations with both Iran and Israel while also seeking to carefully manage its strategic partnership with the United States. The conflict has added to energy and diplomatic pressures facing New Delhi.
India has partly responded to the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war by relying on Russia, one of its key strategic partners and a major supplier of fuel to the country despite continuing international controversy over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Putin last visited India in December 2025 and also met Modi earlier this month in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar visited Kyiv this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy subsequently expressed gratitude to India for its efforts towards ending the war in Ukraine.
The BRICS summit comes as its members seek to balance differing geopolitical positions while strengthening cooperation on trade, investment, energy and development. The ability of the expanded grouping to produce a consensus on major international conflicts is likely to be closely watched.
