Putin Arrives in India for BRICS Summit Amid Global

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday for a two-day BRICS summit. The gathering of 11 member states will be dominated by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, alongside economic challenges.

Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are scheduled to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to meet with Modi on the sidelines of the event.

Summit Agenda and Regional Tensions

The Gulf conflict is expected to be a central issue at the summit, according to analyst Harsh V Pant of India's Observer Research Foundation, who spoke to AFP. The expansion of BRICS, which now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, presents a challenge. These three new members hold sharply differing positions on the US-Israel war on Iran that began in February.

Pant noted that what was once seen as an achievement-the group's expansion-now looks like a constraint. Shilan Shah of Capital Economics, also speaking to reporters, said the war in Iran will provide a stern test of the expanded group's cohesion. This follows the failure of BRICS foreign ministers to agree on a joint statement when they met in New Delhi last May.

Diplomatic Visits and Bilateral Relations

This marks Pezeshkian's first visit to India as Iranian president, and the first such visit in eight years. It ensures the Middle East conflict is firmly on the agenda. For China's Xi Jinping, it is his first trip to India since 2019, representing the most significant step in a cautious thaw between the rival neighbors. Ties have been warming recently with the restoration of flights, visas, and high-level contacts, though deep mistrust over their disputed border and strategic rivalry remains.

Putin last visited India in December 2025 and also met Modi in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, earlier this month. India maintains cordial relations with both Iran and Israel while carefully balancing its ties with Washington. The country has handled the energy crisis stemming from the war on Iran partly by turning to Russia, a key strategic partner and a major fuel supplier.

Security and Logistics in New Delhi

Heavy security deployments and traffic restrictions were in place across the Indian capital. Posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi lined the streets to welcome the arriving leaders. Delhi police urged public patience and cooperation. Putin landed at Palam Air Force Station, where he was greeted by India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, according to footage broadcast by Russia's Ria Novosti news agency.

The Ukraine War Context

The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to shadow the summit. India's Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, visited Kyiv this month. During that visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was "grateful to India for its commitment to ending this unjust war." The BRICS forum, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was created in 2009 as a platform for major emerging economies seeking greater global influence.