BRICS Summit 2026: Modi’s Big Bilateral Blitz— Putin, Pezeshkian Today; Xi Jinping Tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a series of bilateral meetings with key BRICS leaders on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, with talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian scheduled for Friday, followed by a closely watched meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday.

Modi will meet Putin at around 3.30 pm on Friday, before holding talks with Pezeshkian at 6.15 pm. Xi is scheduled to meet Modi at 5.45 pm on Saturday.

Modi-Putin Talks

Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday for the BRICS summit, which will be held at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13. His meeting with Modi comes as India continues to maintain close economic and strategic ties with Russia, particularly in energy and defence.

Trade and economic cooperation are expected to feature prominently in the talks. Russia remains one of India’s major energy suppliers, while New Delhi has continued purchasing Russian oil despite pressure from the United States.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss the broader geopolitical situation and ways to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

Modi-Pezeshkian Meeting

Modi will then meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian later on Friday. The talks come against the backdrop of the continuing conflict in West Asia, making Iran’s engagement with India particularly significant.

Pezeshkian is also scheduled to participate in the BRICS Business Forum alongside Modi, Putin and other leaders. His visit marks his first trip to India in eight years.

India has traditionally maintained ties with both Iran and Israel while seeking to support stability in West Asia. The conflict in the region is expected to be among the major geopolitical issues discussed around the BRICS summit.

Modi-Xi Talks

The most closely watched bilateral engagement is expected to be Modi’s meeting with Xi Jinping on Saturday.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of years of strained India-China ties following the 2020 Galwan clash. Xi’s visit will also be his first to India since the standoff and comes after he skipped the G20 Summit hosted by India in 2023.

New Delhi and Beijing have in recent months sought to stabilise their ties and expand economic engagement, making the Modi-Xi meeting significant for the future direction of bilateral relations.

The talks are expected to be closely watched for signs of progress on ties between the two Asian powers, particularly as both countries seek to protect their economic and security interests.

BRICS Summit Schedule

The first day will focus on discussions among leaders of BRICS member countries, along with several ceremonial and diplomatic engagements.

2:35 pm: BRICS leaders will attend a closed-door session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”

4:25 pm: Leaders will visit the Bharat Innovates Exhibition, which will showcase innovations and developments linked to the summit’s themes.

5:05 pm: Leaders will gather at Bharat Mandapam for the official family photograph, followed by a joint tree-planting ceremony.

7:30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a gala dinner for the participating leaders.

The final day will bring together leaders from BRICS member and partner countries as well as outreach invitees.

9:55 am: Leaders will begin arriving at the summit venue.

10:35 am: Leaders will pose for the official group photograph.

10:50 am: The main open session, titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth,” will begin.

The summit will conclude with the release of the New Delhi Declaration, outlining the key outcomes and commitments agreed upon by the participating countries.

BRICS Summit

The bilateral meetings come ahead of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, which brings together the expanded grouping of 11 countries.

The summit is taking place amid divisions among member states over the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, as well as wider disagreements on global trade and geopolitics. Economic cooperation, development and strengthening the representation of emerging economies in global institutions are also expected to feature prominently.

With major leaders including Putin, Xi, Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attending, the summit is set to bring a series of high-level diplomatic engagements to New Delhi.