Delhi has stepped up security for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival for the BRICS summit after Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in the capital early Friday. Hotels have been fortified, security has been layered, route rehearsals are under way and traffic curbs are in force.
Xi is due to arrive on September 12. Putin, who began a three-day trip after landing in the national capital on Friday, is expected to travel through Delhi in one of the summit’s largest motorcades. Xi is also expected to move through the city with a similarly large convoy.
Security and traffic measures have also been tightened on routes linking the airport, hotels and Bharat Mandapam. Regulated vehicular movement is expected across several roads in Delhi through the day.
Hotel Security Arrangements
Xi will arrive at Palam Air Force Station and then head to the Taj Hotel, while Putin is set to stay at the Maurya Hotel during his three-day visit.
Security teams from both countries have already reached Delhi and are overseeing arrangements at the two hotels. At Xi’s hotel, security personnel carrying advanced weapons and equipment are posted on every floor of the hotel complex. Similar security steps are also in place at Putin’s hotel.
Officials have carried out several route rehearsals to test the security setup.
From 2 PM to 8:30 PM on Friday, the Delhi Traffic Police has set up diversions and restricted vehicle movement on key routes in the capital. More than 35 roads have been marked for regulated movement, and 22 diversion points have been set up across Delhi. Officials have deployed close to 4,800 traffic personnel for summit arrangements.
Security Layers
Putin is under a four-layer security arrangement. The first layer is the Close Protection Team, or CPT, which stays in close proximity to the Russian president at all times.
The second layer makes up the inner security circle and includes senior Delhi Police officers. The third, or middle circle, consists of Delhi Police commandos and personnel from paramilitary forces.
Local police are handling the outermost layer. Heavy police surveillance outside the hotel and around its surroundings is also part of that outer cover, as India Today reported.
Summit Agenda And Leaders
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will take part in the summit.
The two-day summit carries the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Leaders will discuss ways to deepen BRICS cooperation on shared priorities. They will also exchange views on global and regional issues of mutual concern.
