Russian President Vladimir Putin Arrives In India For BRICS

At a Glance:

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed at Palam Air Force Station on Friday ahead of the two-day, 11-member BRICS Leaders' Summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral meetings with Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday.
Taking place at Bharat Mandapam on September 12–13, the summit focuses on economic resilience, supply chain security, cross-border payment integration, and major conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The event marks Xi Jinping's first visit to India since 2019, reflecting a cautious stabilization of ties following years of border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Indian capital on Friday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, a high-stakes two-day gathering expected to be dominated by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with growing trade and economic volatility. Greeted at Palam Air Force Station by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, Putin’s arrival sets the stage for intensive bilateral diplomacy with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the formal summit commences on Saturday.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin disembarks from his plane after arriving at Palam Air Base in New Delhi on September 11, 2026. (Photo by Vladimir SMIRNOV / POOL / AFP)

Key Statements and Focus Area:

Harsh V. Pant (Vice President, Observer Research Foundation):
"The Gulf conflict is going to be the central fault line this time during the BRICS summit. What was seen until last year as an achievement – the expansion of BRICS – today looks like a big constraint on BRICS."
Shilan Shah (Senior Emerging Markets Economist, Capital Economics):
"The war in Iran will provide a stern test of the (expanded) group’s cohesion."

18th BRICS Summit Framework & Leaders Agenda

Leader / Country	Strategic Focus / Arrival Status	Primary Bilateral Engagements
Narendra Modi (India)	Summit Host; Chairing discussions on resilience, trade, and multilateralism	Bilateral meetings with Putin, Pezeshkian, Xi, and Ramaphosa
Vladimir Putin (Russia)	Arrived Friday; First overseas BRICS attendance since 2022	Bilateral talks with Modi on energy, defense, and Ukraine peace pathways
Masoud Pezeshkian (Iran)	Arriving Friday; First Iranian presidential visit to India in 8 years	Meeting Modi on West Asia stability, energy, and Strait of Hormuz shipping
Xi Jinping (China)	Arriving Saturday; First visit to India since 2019	Meeting Modi to review LAC border disengagement and trade normalisation
Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa)	Arrived / Participating; Focus on Global South representation	Bilateral with Putin and Modi on developmental financing

Navigating Geopolitical Fault Lines

The New Delhi summit serves as a crucial test for the expanded 11-member alliance, which now includes regional rivals from West Asia such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Discussions are set to center on energy stability and shipping routes, particularly following disruptions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, alongside the economic impacts of Western sanctions and U.S. tariff shifts.

India's Balancing Act

Hosting the summit requires India to execute a delicate diplomatic dance. New Delhi continues to maintain strong strategic and energy partnerships with Moscow while balancing robust security relations with Washington and traditional ties to Tehran. Furthermore, Modi’s scheduled meeting with Xi Jinping represents the most prominent diplomatic engagement between the two Asian powers since their 2020 border standoff, signaling an ongoing, step-by-step restoration of high-level contacts, direct flights, and economic engagement.

FYI

By positioning BRICS as a pillar for "Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability," India aims to keep the summit focused on developmental priorities, alternative cross-border payment mechanisms, and critical supply chain security.However, with consensus required among members holding sharply diverging foreign policy alignments, reaching a cohesive final New Delhi Declaration will require navigating deep regional divisions.

Dive Deeper: Handpicked Stories for You

Follow Channel8 for continuous updates:

Putin and Trump Hold Call on Ukraine War

Putin Orders Three Day Pause On Strikes Against Kyiv

Putin Sees Opportunity For Ukraine Peace Settlement At Forum