President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, with the Ministry of External Affairs hailing the “multifaceted and longstanding” bilateral ties between India and Russia.

His arrival marks a significant moment as India prepares to host the high-level gathering this weekend.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X that Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received and welcomed the Russian leader at Delhi airport.

He emphasised that India and Russia share “multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” underlining the depth of the relationship.

Putin’s arrival sets the stage for crucial bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day. The discussions are expected to focus on strategic trade resilience, cross-border payment mechanisms, energy security, and conflict-resolution pathways in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and West Asia.

According to the Kremlin, Putin is paying a working visit to India as BRICS marks its 20th anniversary. His engagements include addressing the plenary session of the BRICS Business Forum on September 11, a platform that traditionally precedes the leaders’ summit and brings together business representatives from across BRICS nations.

On the same day, Putin is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi. Both leaders will also jointly visit the INNOPROM exhibition, organised by the industry and trade ministries of Russia and India, showcasing industrial and technological cooperation between the two countries.

The Russian President’s visit is expected to add further momentum to the India-Russia strategic partnership. Trade and economic cooperation are likely to feature prominently in the discussions, reflecting the longstanding emphasis on strengthening bilateral economic ties.

India’s chairship of BRICS has focused on enhancing cooperation across trade, digital technology, finance, energy security, and global governance reform. The summit will deliberate on resilient global supply chains, cross-border payment integration, greater use of national currencies, MSME development, digital trade, and artificial intelligence.

Energy security, climate resilience, development finance, expansion of the New Development Bank, and reforms of multilateral financial and political institutions are also expected to be key themes. These discussions highlight India’s priorities of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability under its leadership of BRICS.

Putin’s participation in the BRICS Business Forum and his bilateral engagements with Modi underscore the strategic weight of the summit.

The visit reflects both nations’ commitment to advancing their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership while contributing to the broader BRICS agenda of reforming global governance and strengthening economic resilience.

ANI