English
English
English
Modi-Putin meet in Delhi: A strategic partnership moment at BRICS Summit (Image: Google)
New Delhi: The 18th BRICS Summit has brought together some of the world’s most influential leaders in New Delhi as India pushes for stronger economic cooperation, secure trade routes and a more connected Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of free navigation and the safety of seafarers while addressing the BRICS Business Forum, underlining the need for stability in global maritime trade.
The two-day summit, being hosted by India on September 12 and 13, 2026, has witnessed the arrival of several heads of state and high-level delegations from BRICS nations and partner countries.
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Narendra Modi held extensive bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The two leaders reviewed progress in key sectors, including trade, energy, defence, space cooperation, technology, skill mobility and people-to-people relations. The meeting marked the second interaction between Modi and Putin this year after their talks during the SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 31, 2026. During the discussions, both leaders also reviewed cooperation under the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They exchanged views on regional and global issues, including developments in West Asia and the Black Sea region.
PM Modi reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward for resolving conflicts and expressed India’s willingness to contribute towards peace efforts.
A special moment during the bilateral meeting came when PM Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the ancient Tamil literary work Thirukkural. Written by Tamil poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, Thirukkural consists of 1,330 couplets covering themes such as ethics, governance, morality and human values. The work is believed to have been composed during the Sangam period of Tamil literature between the third century BCE and third century CE.
The gift reflected India’s emphasis on cultural diplomacy and strengthening civilisational ties with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a three-day visit to attend the summit and hold discussions with PM Modi on expanding cooperation in areas such as Energy, Investment and Trade.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira also reached Delhi to represent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the summit. Other prominent leaders attending the BRICS meeting include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
The BRICS Business Forum is focusing on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability with nearly 1,000 delegates expected to participate. PM Modi’s address was attended by representatives from major global companies, including energy, banking, technology and aviation sectors. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said stronger economic engagement and improved business connectivity among BRICS members would contribute to greater self-reliance. He stressed the need to expand commercial partnerships, diversify trade relations and develop reliable supply chains across member countries.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said BRICS must utilise the changing global economic environment to build a stronger and more inclusive Global South. Ramaphosa stressed that the expanded BRICS grouping should move beyond traditional commodity trade and focus on technology, manufacturing and productive partnerships among member economies.
Ahead of the summit, Delhi Police has implemented extensive security arrangements across the national capital. Around 15,000 police personnel and nearly 200 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed for security duties. More than 500 CCTV cameras, including advanced surveillance systems, have been installed to monitor key locations.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also announced temporary airspace restrictions around New Delhi during the summit period, restricting non-scheduled flight operations between September 11 and 13, 2026.
The BRICS Summit comes at a time when global trade, technology competition and geopolitical tensions are reshaping international relations. India is aiming to use its chairship to strengthen cooperation among developing economies and promote a more balanced global economic framework.
With discussions on trade, technology, energy security and international stability, the Delhi summit is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the BRICS bloc.
