Putin lands in India for BRICs summit, shadowed by Iran and Ukraine wars

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi, India on Friday for an 11-member BRICS summit dominated by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. He was greeted by India's Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh at Palam Air Force Station. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the two-day event.

The summit, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is set to examine the impact of the ongoing Gulf conflict, with Harsh V Pant of India's Observer Research Foundation predicting it will be "the central fault line" during the summit. Pezeshkian's visit to India marks his first as Iranian president in eight years and is expected to test BRICS cohesion.

BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was established in 2009 to empower major emerging economies amid Western dominance. However, recent tensions have raised concerns about the group's cohesion, as seen in the failure to agree on a joint statement at the May meeting. India's position on the Middle East conflict is nuanced, balancing its cordial relations with Iran and Israel while maintaining a delicate stance toward the United States.

India has drawn closer to Russia as a strategic ally, given Moscow's involvement in its war against Ukraine. This will be Xi Jinping's first visit to India since 2019, reflecting a gradual warming of ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, despite lingering disputes and mistrust.