Putin, Xi and Pezeshkian set for talks with Modi as BRICS summit faces deep divisions over Middle East war

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on September 11, 2025, ahead of a BRICS summit that is expected to be heavily influenced by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. He was greeted at Palam Air Force Station by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh. The summit, which began with heavy security deployments and traffic restrictions, will see the attendance of 11-member BRICS leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pezeshkian will be holding his first meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Xi’s visit marks his first to India since 2019. The BRICS forum, established in 2009, aims to provide greater influence for emerging economies in institutions dominated by Western powers. However, recent tensions over the Middle East conflict and differing positions on the war launched by the United States and Israel have raised concerns about the group's cohesion.

India, which maintains cordial relations with Iran and Israel, is navigating the complex geopolitical landscape and the energy crisis caused by the Iran war by turning to Russia. Putin last visited India in December 2025, and Modi met him in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, this month.