GUWAHATI: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, September 10, ahead of the two-day BRICS summit, with the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global economic challenges and shifting geopolitical ties expected to dominate discussions.
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Putin arrived at Palam Air Force Station, where he was received by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, according to footage broadcast by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.
Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also due to meet the Indian prime minister. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the summit and hold talks with Modi on the sidelines of the meeting.
The summit marks Xi’s first visit to India since 2019 and comes as relations between India and China show signs of a cautious improvement following years of tensions over their disputed Himalayan border. The two countries have gradually restored flights, visas and high-level diplomatic contacts.
However, tensions remain over the border dispute, India’s growing trade deficit with China and wider strategic rivalry between the two Asian powers.
Security has been tightened across Delhi ahead of the summit. A four-layer security cordon has reportedly been put in place for Putin, while special security arrangements have also been made for Xi.
BRICS was established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater representation in global institutions traditionally dominated by Western powers.
The grouping has since expanded to include countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have differing positions on the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.
India maintains ties with both Iran and Israel while also seeking to preserve its strategic relationship with the United States. The Middle East conflict has created additional challenges for New Delhi, particularly over energy supplies.
India has also increasingly relied on Russia for energy supplies as the war in Ukraine continues. Russia remains one of India’s key strategic partners, despite growing international scrutiny over its role in the Ukraine war.
The BRICS summit is therefore expected to provide an important platform for India to balance its relationships with Russia, China, Iran, the US and other major global powers while addressing the economic and geopolitical challenges facing the grouping.