New Delhi, September 12. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday to participate in the BRICS summit. Discussions at the summit, which begins on Saturday, are expected to cover the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global trade instability, and energy security. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also arriving in India for the summit; this marks his first visit to the country since 2019.
Taking place six years after a deadly clash along the India-China border, this visit is viewed as a significant effort to improve relations between the two nations. However, mistrust persists due to border disputes, trade imbalances, and strategic rivalry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold talks with President Putin on Friday. Russia has long been a key strategic partner and a major fuel supplier for India.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Modi. With the expansion of BRICS, differences of opinion among member nations regarding Middle Eastern issues have grown. Harsh V. Pant of India's Observer Research Foundation noted that the conflict in the Gulf region could become a major point of division at this summit. Shilan Shah of Capital Economics stated that the ongoing conflict involving Iran would test the unity of the expanded BRICS bloc.
UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are also expected to attend the summit. India has been balancing its relationships with Iran and Israel alongside its strategic partnership with the United States. Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Kyiv earlier this month. RSS/AFP
