Politics
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Kremlin has confirmed that the two leaders will meet on Friday and described India as a “strategic partner” of Russia. Ahead of Putin’s arrival in India, Kremlin spokesperson and Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov spoke to the media virtually on Tuesday, outlining Russia’s position on several key issues concerning India-Russia relations and BRICS.
Peskov said that bilateral discussions between the two countries would be highly important, particularly the meeting between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi. He said the leaders of India and Russia maintain close and practical relations and are able to discuss sensitive issues concerning the global agenda and bilateral ties in an open and constructive manner.
Peskov also highlighted the importance of BRICS, describing it not as a formal organization but as a “club” of different countries. He noted that BRICS does not have a charter, formal rules, or a permanent headquarters. According to Peskov, BRICS serves as a platform for countries that share common views on how global affairs should be managed and on mechanisms for cooperation across various fields.
Peskov said Russia is working to further strengthen the three main pillars of BRICS cooperation: politics and security, economics and finance, and cultural and people-to-people ties. He also expressed support for bringing more countries into the BRICS cooperation framework. Peskov described the “partner country” concept as a positive development and said the new category, established in 2024, includes Belarus, Bolivia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
According to Peskov, around 90 percent of payments between Russia and BRICS countries are now being made in national currencies. He also highlighted expert-level discussions within BRICS on reforming the United Nations and improving the effectiveness of international institutions. Asked about India’s imports of Russian energy and U.S. sanctions related to those imports, Peskov described the proposed U.S. sanctions legislation as “illegal.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war and efforts toward peace during their meeting. India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. Peskov said Russia welcomes India’s efforts in this regard. He added that BRICS is not merely a platform for economic cooperation but also a symbol of the emerging multipolar world order.
Peskov praised India’s efforts during its BRICS chairmanship, saying that the organization’s fundamental vision is closely linked to the concept of a multipolar world. Peskov also stressed the importance of Russia-India relations, saying that cooperation between the two countries is not limited to oil and defense. He expressed hope for further progress in the development of new nuclear power plants in India and also welcomed Indian students studying in Russia.
