Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday as the 18th BRICS Summit commenced under India’s chairship.

The leaders were greeted against the backdrop of the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, symbolising India’s cultural heritage.

On Friday, PM Modi had already engaged in a packed day of diplomacy. He held separate meetings with President Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, met United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and addressed the BRICS Business Forum. These engagements underscored India’s active role in steering the summit’s agenda.

The meeting with Putin marked the second interaction between the two leaders this year.

Their earlier meeting took place in August on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, discussions reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people domains.

They also addressed India’s BRICS chairship, multilateral engagement, and pressing regional and global issues, including conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, BRICS nations reached consensus on a Joint Statement after intensive negotiations that continued until 4 am on Saturday. India played a central role in bridging differences and building consensus among members.

The statement is expected to reflect collective positions on contentious issues and highlight the grouping’s unity.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12–13 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Development, sustainability and innovation are key areas of focus.

BRICS has become an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda spans development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping now comprises 11 countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. India’s chairship comes at a time of global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. 

The expanded BRICS framework provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.

India’s 2026 chairship is focused on translating expanded representation into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes. It aims to build consensus among diverse members and strengthen the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.

Earlier today, PM Modi held a series of bilateral meetings. With Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, he discussed defence, investment linkages, critical minerals and clean energy.

PM Modi described the talks as taking an “old friendship into new frontiers,” highlighting cooperation in defence, capacity building, healthcare and clean energy. He also emphasised strengthening India-Africa ties and amplifying the voice of the Global South.

In his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Modi hailed the growing defence partnership and expanding two-way investments between the two nations. These bilateral engagements reinforced India’s broader diplomatic outreach during the summit.

The BRICS Summit in New Delhi is set to showcase India’s leadership in fostering resilience, innovation and cooperation among emerging economies, while also advancing the collective voice of the Global South in global governance.

ANI