English
English
English
Putin arrives in Delhi for BRICS Summit(Img: X)
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the national on Friday to participate in the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, marking the beginning of his three-day visit to India. The high-profile summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13, bringing together leaders from BRICS nations and partner countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the upcoming discussions, saying India looks forward to meaningful and positive conversations aimed at strengthening cooperation among member countries.
During his visit, Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions are expected to cover several key areas, including trade, investment, energy cooperation, defence, technology, pharmaceuticals and people-to-people relations.
Putin’s visit is significant as it marks his first physical participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022.
A high-level Russian delegation is accompanying the President during his India visit.
Several world leaders are expected to attend the two-day summit in the national capital.
The participating leaders 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.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira has also reached India to represent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is currently focused on domestic election campaigning.
With several international leaders arriving in the national capital, Delhi has been placed under a multi-layered security arrangement.
Around 15,000 security personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across Delhi. Authorities have installed more than 500 CCTV cameras, including advanced surveillance systems, to monitor important locations.
The Airports Authority of India has also announced airspace restrictions around New Delhi from September 11 to 13. Non-scheduled flight operations will remain restricted between 7 am and 11 pm during the summit period.
The summit comes at a time when global economic and geopolitical equations are rapidly changing. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation among emerging economies, expanding trade partnerships and addressing global challenges through collective efforts.
With major powers participating, the Delhi BRICS Summit is expected to become an important platform for diplomatic engagement and economic discussions.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) president Zou Jiayi arrived in Delhi on Friday.
2 pm: Arrival of BRICS leaders
2.35 pm: Closed session on multilateralism
4.25 pm: Bharat Innovates Exhibition
5.05 pm: Family photo
5.10 pm: Joint tree plantation
7.30 pm: Gala dinner hosted by PM Modi
9.55 am: Arrival of partner country and outreach leaders
10.35 am: Family photo
10.50 am: Open session on inclusive global growth
The national capital is preparing to roll out a cultural red carpet for the visiting spouses and family members of BRICS leaders, with a tight-packed itinerary taking them from India’s political history and modern art to its traditional crafts, even as multiple quick reaction teams (QRTs), Delhi Police companies and ambulances are being deployed to secure their movements.
The programme, planned alongside the three-day Brics summit beginning September 11, will take the visitors to some of the Delhi’s most prominent cultural institutions, including the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and Central Cottage Industries Emporium.
Ahead of the summit, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has put in place measures to handle an expected increase in international passenger and flight traffic, including enhanced capacity at Terminal 3, news agency PTI reported.
Dedicated immigration counters will be available for BRICS participants, while arrangements have also been made for the landing and parking of aircraft amid expectations of increased international flight movements during the summit, according to a source.
DIAL said Pier C at Terminal 3 will be progressively operationalised for international flight operations from the night of September 9. International arrivals will be handled through the pier, with both international arrivals and departures planned from the evening of September 10.
