Russian President Vladimir Putin Lands in Delhi For 18TH BRICS Summit, To Hold Bilateral With PM Modi Today

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, which India is hosting this weekend. Upon his arrival, Putin was welcomed by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

Putin’s arrival sets the stage for his key engagements in the national capital, including a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and an address at the BRICS Business Forum.

The PM Modi-Putin talks are expected to center on the India-Russia strategic relationship, with commerce, cross-border payment methods, and energy security likely to be top priorities. The two leaders are also scheduled to discuss the current geopolitical issues in Eastern Europe and West Asia.

According to the Kremlin, Putin is in India for a working visit as the BRICS celebrates its 20th anniversary. The main BRICS Summit will take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under India's chairmanship.

What Will Putin Discuss With PM Modi?

Putin's meeting with Prime Minister Modi on September 11 will be his first significant bilateral engagement at the summit. The meetings take place just days after the two leaders met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek on August 31.

At the meeting, PM Modi and Putin discussed cooperation in areas such as politics, trade, defense, energy, space, and mobility. They also discussed the conflicts in Western Asia and the Black Sea region.

The future sessions are anticipated to expand on that topic, with economic cooperation emerging as a priority. Despite geopolitical pressure on Moscow and Western sanctions related to the Ukraine crisis, India and Russia have sought to strengthen commercial ties.

Russia has also indicated interest in expanding cooperation in newer areas, including rare earths. The possible sale of Russia’s Su-57 stealth fighter jets to India is another issue that could remain on the broader agenda.

Putin is also scheduled to visit the INNOPROM exhibition with PM Modi. The exhibition has been organised by the industry and trade ministries of Russia and India.

The Kremlin said, “On September 11, Vladimir Putin will address the plenary session of the annual BRICS Business Forum, which traditionally precedes the summit and serves as an important platform for dialogue among business representatives from BRICS countries. On the same day, the President of Russia will hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, together with him, visit the INNOPROM exhibition, organised by the two countries’ ministries of industry and trade.”

Putin's Packed Schedule In Delhi

Aside from his meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Putin has many bilateral engagements scheduled during his stay in New Delhi.

On September 11, he is set to see Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. According to TASS, Russian presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov has remarked that meetings between Putin and Ibrahim have been more frequent.

Putin will also meet with Dilma Rousseff, the head of the BRICS New Development Bank, on the same day. Discussions are scheduled to cover Russia's involvement with the bank as well as larger BRICS financial and economic efforts.

On September 11, the Russian President will meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to conduct further talks. Moscow is also considering a meeting between Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

On September 12, Putin will meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. A separate full-scale bilateral meeting between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is not currently planned on the margins of the summit, but the two leaders will likely interact during the gathering.

Putin also does not want to conduct a press conference for the Kremlin pool after the BRICS Summit.

India's BRICS Agenda

The main BRICS program begins on September 12, with leaders likely to discuss steps under India's presidency and strategies to improve the grouping's strategic cooperation.

India's BRICS presidency has centered on increased collaboration in trade, digital technology, finance, energy security, and global governance reform. The summit is scheduled to address challenges such as resilient global supply chains, cross-border payment integration, increased usage of national currencies, MSME growth, digital trade, and artificial intelligence.

Energy security, climate resilience, development finance, the expansion of the New Development Bank, and reforms to international financial and political institutions are all expected to be important.

The extended BRICS alliance now includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became a full member in 2025.

The wider BRICS framework also includes 10 partner nations- Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

With Putin now in New Delhi, his meeting with PM Modi, BRICS Business Forum address and engagements with leaders from member and partner countries are expected to be among the key diplomatic moments of India’s BRICS presidency.