India welcomes Russia, Iran leaders for BRICS summit overshadowed by war

In India, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are attending the BRICS summit, which is set to take place on Saturday. This meeting, primarily dominated by conflict and economic challenges, is also to be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking his first visit to India since 2019. The summit will address issues such as global trade turbulence, oil, and the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Tensions remain high between Russia and India, as well as between Iran and India, due to their contested Himalayan frontier, widening trade deficit, and strategic rivalry. Demonstrations in New Delhi have been held in support of Xi's visit, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wished the visiting leaders well through a social media message in Sanskrit.

BRICS was established in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies to increase their influence in institutions dominated by Western powers. The group includes Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which have differing stances on the ongoing war in the Middle East. The summit is expected to face challenges in maintaining cohesion due to the Middle East conflict, and the failure of BRICS foreign ministers to agree on a joint statement during a previous meeting in New Delhi.