Putin to attend BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September; Xi-Putin meeting also planned

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to India to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September, the Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday, signalling the importance Moscow attaches to the grouping amid a shifting global geopolitical landscape.

The announcement was made by Yury Ushakov, who said Putin would participate in the summit being hosted by India in its capacity as the current chair of the BRICS bloc.

According to Russia’s state-run news agency TASS, Ushakov also confirmed that a bilateral meeting between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is being planned on the sidelines of the summit.

The meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for the two leaders to discuss strategic cooperation, global economic issues and regional security developments.

India to host leaders of expanded BRICS bloc

India is scheduled to host the annual BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi in September, bringing together heads of state and government from the expanded grouping of major emerging economies.

Putin’s participation comes less than a year after his visit to India in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where he held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on defence, energy, trade and strategic cooperation.

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, which focused on developments in West Asia, global economic challenges and strengthening multilateral cooperation among member states.

Growing influence of BRICS

Originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later, the BRICS grouping has undergone significant expansion in recent years.

The bloc now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, making it an 11-member grouping representing a substantial share of the global economy.

According to BRICS estimates, member countries account for nearly half of the world’s population, around 40 per cent of global gross domestic product and roughly a quarter of international trade, enhancing the bloc’s influence in debates on global governance, economic reform and multipolarity.

The New Delhi summit is expected to focus on economic cooperation, reform of multilateral institutions, trade and investment, financial connectivity and key geopolitical developments affecting member nations.