Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday for the BRICS summit, a gathering expected to be dominated by debates over the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, alongside pressing economic concerns. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also attending the two-day meeting, marking his first visit to India since 2019 and signaling a cautious thaw in relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following a deadly border clash six years ago.
According to Indian diplomatic sources, both Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are scheduled to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Xi is anticipated to meet Modi on the sidelines of the conference. Footage from Russia’s Ria Novosti agency showed Putin being welcomed at Palam Air Force Station by Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs.
The summit highlights the complexities of the expanded BRICS bloc, which now includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. These nations hold sharply divergent views on the conflict in the Middle East initiated by the United States and Israel in February. Harsh V. Pant of India’s Observer Research Foundation noted that the Gulf conflict serves as a central fault line for this session.
“What was seen until last year as an achievement — the expansion of BRICS — today looks like a big constraint on BRICS,” Pant stated. He emphasized that the war in Iran presents a stern test for the group’s unity, pointing to the failure of foreign ministers to reach a joint statement during their meeting in New Delhi in May.
For India, maintaining a delicate balance is paramount. The country sustains cordial relations with both Iran and Israel while carefully managing its ties with Washington. To navigate the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war, New Delhi has increasingly turned to Russia, a key strategic partner and a controversial fuel supplier since the onset of the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s presence follows recent interactions with Modi in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, earlier this month. Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently visited Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude for India’s commitment to ending the conflict.
Zelensky thanking India for peace efforts contrasts sharply with Putin’s arrival. The West must be watching this New Delhi convergence closely.
BRICS expanding seemed like a win until now. With Iran, Saudi, and UAE all at odds, can they ever agree on anything meaningful?
Xi visiting after six years is huge news. Does this signal real thawing, or just pragmatic maneuvering ahead of economic pressures?
India’s balancing act is impressive but exhausting. Keeping both Washington and Moscow happy while Iran and Ukraine burn is a tightrope walk.