Putin arrives in India ahead of BRICS summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday for an 11-member BRICS summit, with the gathering likely to be dominated by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, alongside economic concerns. Putin is set to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will also be making an unprecedented visit to India since 2019.

This marks a significant step in the warming relations between China and India, which have been strained since a military clash along their disputed Himalayan border six years ago. Despite the progress, deep mistrust persists due to their contested frontier, a widening trade deficit, and ongoing strategic rivalry.

Upon his arrival at Palam Air Force Station, Putin was greeted by India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh. New Delhi has been adorned with posters bearing Modi's smiling face, leading up to the summit, and security forces have been heavily deployed across the city, with traffic restrictions in place in central districts. Delhi police have urged citizens to remain patient and cooperative.

The BRICS forum, established in 2009 as a platform for emerging economies to gain greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers, now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in addition to its founding members. However, the group faces challenges in maintaining cohesion, especially as the ongoing war in the Middle East threatens to become a central fault line at the summit.

Harsh V. Pant of India's Observer Research Foundation stated that BRICS' expansion has become a constraint on its effectiveness. Pezeshkian will be making his first visit to India as Iranian president, with the Middle East conflict likely to be a key agenda item.

The war in Iran will put BRICS' unity to the test, according to Shilan Shah of Capital Economics, who points out that the group's foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement during a meeting in New Delhi in May. India has managed the energy crisis sparked by the Iran war by increasing its reliance on Russia, a major strategic partner and a key fuel supplier amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Putin last visited India in December 2025, and he also met with Indian Prime Minister Modi in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, this month. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently visited Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to India for its commitment to ending the unjust war.