Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have discussed ways to deepen cooperation between their countries as they seek to strengthen bilateral ties ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders held talks covering political, economic, defence, energy and other areas of cooperation. Their discussions also included India-Russia engagement within BRICS and an exchange of views on regional and global developments, including conflicts in the Middle East.
The meeting came as India continues to maintain its longstanding strategic relationship with Russia while also pursuing closer economic and diplomatic ties with the United States and Europe. Modi and Putin also discussed the war in Ukraine, with the Indian prime minister reiterating New Delhi’s position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward between Russia and Ukraine.
India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict while maintaining relations with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Modi said that India remained ready to contribute to efforts aimed at promoting peace, according to the Indian foreign ministry.
India has declined to join Western efforts to isolate Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, instead maintaining diplomatic and economic engagement with the Kremlin. The position reflects New Delhi’s broader effort to balance its longstanding relationship with Russia against its expanding partnerships with Western powers.
Russia remains an important defence partner for India and has historically supplied a significant share of the country’s military equipment. Although New Delhi has increasingly sought to diversify its defence procurement, military cooperation continues to form an important component of bilateral relations.
Energy has also become a major pillar of the relationship. India has significantly increased its purchases of discounted Russian oil since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, helping maintain access to energy supplies amid disruptions and volatility in global energy markets.
Putin and Modi have maintained regular high-level engagement despite geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Putin last visited India in December 2025, while the two leaders most recently met earlier this month in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.
Modi also held separate talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi on Friday, with the two leaders discussing bilateral relations and Iran’s participation in BRICS.
Modi thanked Pezeshkian for Iran’s high-level participation in the grouping “despite the challenging circumstances,” according to the Indian foreign ministry, in reference to the war involving Iran. The two leaders had previously met earlier this month in Kyrgyzstan during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.
BRICS Summit To Test Emerging-Market Unity
The discussions between Modi and Putin come just ahead of the BRICS summit, which will be held in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday under India’s chairmanship. The summit will bring together leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, as member states seek to strengthen cooperation amid growing geopolitical tensions.
BRICS was originally formed around Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with the acronym reflecting the names of its founding members. The grouping has since expanded to 11 countries, representing about half of the world’s population and a significant share of the global economy.
The upcoming summit is expected to take place against a challenging international backdrop, with BRICS members facing divisions and competing interests over the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and rising tensions between the United States and China.
India’s hosting of the summit gives Modi an opportunity to reinforce New Delhi’s role as a major voice among emerging economies while balancing relationships with competing global powers. The presence of Putin, Xi and other leaders will also place the grouping’s ability to maintain unity under close attention, particularly as geopolitical tensions continue to influence economic, security and diplomatic relations.
The summit provides a platform for India to advance cooperation among developing and emerging economies while reinforcing its own strategic priorities. For Russia, continued engagement with India and other BRICS members offers an avenue for maintaining international partnerships amid Western pressure over the Ukraine war.
Against this backdrop, Modi’s discussions with Putin underline the importance India continues to attach to its relationship with Russia, even as New Delhi seeks to broaden its partnerships globally. The talks also highlight the increasingly significant role BRICS plays in India’s diplomatic strategy, with the summit expected to test how effectively its diverse members can cooperate despite differences over some of the world’s most pressing geopolitical crises.**Keywords:**
