Modi, Putin hold talks in New Delhi as trade and defence top agenda

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in New Delhi on Friday, with discussions expected to focus on strengthening economic, energy and defence cooperation between the two longstanding partners.

The meeting took place ahead of the annual BRICS summit, which begins in the Indian capital on Saturday. The gathering is expected to bring together leaders from major emerging economies, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Indian officials said Modi and Putin were likely to review cooperation across several sectors, including civil nuclear energy, fertilisers, defence, critical minerals, manufacturing, railways and steel. Trade and energy security are also expected to feature prominently in their discussions.

The meeting marked the second encounter between Modi and Putin in less than two weeks. The two leaders previously met on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

During that meeting, Modi had called for an end to the war in Ukraine and said India would support efforts aimed at achieving peace. New Delhi has consistently maintained that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Despite pressure from Western countries over its economic ties with Moscow, India has continued to purchase large quantities of Russian crude oil. Russia has become one of India’s most important energy suppliers, with its share of Indian crude imports reaching a record 51 per cent in July 2026.

The increase came as disruptions to supplies from the Middle East encouraged Indian refiners to rely more heavily on Russian crude. The share reportedly declined in August as Chinese demand for Russian oil increased.

India argues that its huge population and growing economy require stable, affordable and dependable energy supplies. New Delhi has also rejected calls to restrict trade in Russian energy, metals and fertilisers, arguing that economic measures alone cannot resolve the Ukraine conflict.

Putin’s latest visit comes months after his December 2025 trip to India for the annual India-Russia summit. During that visit, both countries agreed to further expand their trade and defence partnership.

The Modi-Putin meeting comes as India prepares to host a BRICS summit overshadowed by wars, geopolitical tensions and growing uncertainty in global trade.

The two-day summit will begin on Saturday, with the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, energy security, oil prices and international trade expected to dominate discussions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to attend the summit, marking his first visit to India since 2019. His arrival is being closely watched as relations between Beijing and New Delhi have gradually improved following years of tensions.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours deteriorated sharply after a deadly military confrontation along their disputed Himalayan border. In recent months, however, the two sides have taken steps to restore flights, visas and high-level diplomatic contacts.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing was prepared to strengthen communication and cooperation with India while managing their differences.

However, significant disagreements remain, particularly over their disputed border, India’s growing trade deficit with China and their broader strategic rivalry.

The expected visit by Xi has also triggered protests from Tibetans in New Delhi. Demonstrators criticised the Chinese president and raised concerns over Beijing’s policies in Tibet.

BRICS was established in 2009 to give major emerging economies a stronger voice in global institutions traditionally dominated by Western powers. The group has since expanded to include countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday and is scheduled to hold talks with Modi. His participation is expected to place the Middle East conflict high on the BRICS agenda.

Pezeshkian said BRICS was established to challenge unilateralism, according to Iranian state media.

The inclusion of Iran alongside Saudi Arabia and the UAE has created a complicated diplomatic environment for the bloc, particularly as the countries hold differing positions on the latest Middle East conflict.

Analysts said the war involving Iran could test BRICS’ ability to maintain unity. The group’s foreign ministers were unable to agree on a joint statement during their meeting in New Delhi in May, highlighting the difficulties in reaching consensus on major geopolitical issues.