Su-57, Nuclear Plants, Trade: What We Know About The Modi-Putin Talks Ahead Of BRICS

India and Russia are set to hold high-level talks in New Delhi this week, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Modi and Putin will hold a bilateral meeting on Friday, September 11, during Putin’s visit to India for the BRICS Summit.

Speaking to reporters during a virtual briefing from Moscow, Peskov said the two leaders would first discuss the bilateral agenda. India has not yet officially commented on his remarks.

When Is The BRICS Summit?

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.

India took over the BRICS presidency on January 1 this year, becoming the grouping’s chair for the fourth time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the summit, which will bring together leaders of member countries, invited participants and senior officials.

The 11-member core group consists of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became a full member in 2025.

The wider BRICS framework also includes 10 partner countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. These countries are partner nations and are separate from the full members.

What Is On Putin’s Agenda?

According to Peskov, the sale of Su-57 aircraft to India will be among the issues discussed during Putin’s visit, along with trade and economic matters.

Peskov also criticised Washington’s proposed move to impose 100 per cent tariffs on countries buying Russian crude oil, describing the action as “illegal and unacceptable”.

Putin has confirmed his attendance at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Which Leaders Are Expected?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to participate in the summit. If he visits India, it would be his first trip to the country since his informal meeting with Modi in Mamallapuram in 2019.

Other leaders expected at the summit include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is also expected to attend.

When Did Modi And Putin Last Meet?

Modi and Putin most recently met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It was their first face-to-face meeting since the annual India-Russia Summit in New Delhi last December.

At the meeting, Modi underlined India’s message on peace in the context of the Ukraine conflict.

“Every day spent perpetuating war pushes humanity backwards, and every step taken towards peace fills the whole of humanity with new hope and enthusiasm. We must move from endless war towards the end of war, which is very necessary for the well-being of humanity,” Modi said in his televised opening remarks.

Speaking in Hindi, Modi said a peaceful resolution of all issues at the earliest was the “call of humanity” and reiterated India’s message of peace.

“The land of Gandhi and Buddha has one message, the path of peace,” he said.

Modi said the Ukraine issue had figured in his discussions with Putin at every meeting and stressed that India “supports all efforts for peace and will continue to do so in future”.