Putin and Pezeshkian Arrive in India for BRICS Summit

World leaders have gathered in New Delhi as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday ahead of an 11-member BRICS summit. The two-day gathering takes place amid ongoing military conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East that continue to disrupt global shipping routes and energy markets.

Bilateral Talks Focus on Maritime Safety and Trade

Modi held separate bilateral discussions with Putin and Pezeshkian on Friday to address security and economic concerns. According to India’s foreign ministry, discussions between Modi and Putin focused on hostilies in West Asia and the Black Sea region, emphasizing the safety risks posed to commercial shipping and Indian maritime workers in those corridors.

During their meeting, Modi reaffirmed New Delhi’s position that regional crises must be settled through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy, offering India’s assistance in peace efforts. Both leaders agreed to maintain close contact to further develop their strategic partnership. Putin last visited India in December 2025 and previously met Modi in Kyrgyzstan earlier this month.

In talks with Pezeshkian, who is making his first official trip to India as president, Modi stressed the imperative to guarantee freedom of navigation, protect commercial traffic, and ensure the safety of vessel crews in Middle Eastern waters. India’s foreign ministry noted that Modi advocated for sustained diplomatic efforts to re-establish regional stability.

Internal Strains within the Expanded Bloc

The New Delhi summit serves as a key test for cohesion within the expanded BRICS bloc. Founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to counter Western dominance in global institutions, the group recently expanded to include Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

However, differing diplomatic priorities among member states—particularly following the outbreak of war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States in February—have introduced new friction into the bloc. Financial analysts noted that BRICS foreign ministers failed to issue a joint statement during their preliminary meeting in New Delhi in May.

India continues to maintain a neutral stance regarding these conflicts. New Delhi has managed energy supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war by increasing fuel purchases from Russia. Simultaneously, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Kyiv earlier this month to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said he was “grateful to India for its commitment to ending this unjust war.”

Impending Arrival of Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to land in New Delhi on Saturday for his first visit to India since 2019. The visit marks a significant step in diplomatic contacts between the two nations six years after a deadly military clash along their contested Himalayan border.

Although direct flights, visa issuance, and high-level talks between Beijing and New Delhi have gradually resumed, underlying tensions remain high due to unresolved border disputes, a growing trade imbalance, and strategic competition across Asia.

Background

BRICS was established in 2009 to provide major emerging economies with a collective platform to challenge Western leadership in international governance and economic policy. India has historically pursued a policy of strategic autonomy, balancing close energy and defense relations with Russia alongside economic and security ties with Western nations and Middle Eastern partners.