First overseas BRICS trip since 2022: Vladimir Putin arrives in New Delhi to meet PM Modi
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday for a three-day official visit to participate in the BRICS summit and conduct bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at expanding trade, investment, and energy cooperation.
Putin is leading a high-level Russian delegation for the visit.
"Warmly welcome President Vladimir Putin of Russia for the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received by MoS K V Singh at the airport. India and Russia share multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
The visit marks Putin's first in-person attendance at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the military conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022.
The two-day BRICS summit hosted by India, commencing Saturday, is set to focus on bolstering collective resilience across food, energy, health, disaster mitigation, and critical supply chains, as New Delhi seeks to position the grouping as a stable anchor amidst a fragmented geopolitical climate.
The high-level meeting in New Delhi takes place as the international economy contends with global disruptions stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Middle Eastern instability, particularly the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the trade and tariff policies of the Trump administration.
A wide array of world leaders are attending the gathering, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
Putin and Modi are scheduled to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on Friday afternoon.
The meeting is anticipated to centre on deepening cooperation across multiple sectors, including defence, energy, technology, pharmaceuticals, and cultural exchanges.
PTI