Brics Summit: Modi set to meet Russia's Putin, Iran's Pezeshkian; suspense over Xi

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday landed in the Russian town of Kazan, approximately 900 km east of Moscow, to attend the 16th BRICS Summit. Modi is likely to hold bilateral meetings, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Before leaving for Russia, Modi said India values close cooperation within Brics — standing for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the existing members of the group. Brics has emerged as an important platform for dialogue and discussion on a range of key issues concerning the global developmental agenda, Modi said in a statement.

“The expansion of Brics with the addition of new members last year has added to its inclusivity and agenda for the global good,” Modi said before he began his two-day Russia tour.

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At its last summit in South Africa in 2023, Brics had decided to expand membership to 11, extending invitations to six of the interested nations — Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). All accepted except Argentina, whose newly elected President Javier Melei pulled out thinking the group has an anti-West character. Saudi Arabia has delayed its final decision to join Brics apparently over similar concerns.

Host Russia is seeking to showcase the Brics summit as its President Vladimir Putin’s unaffected global clout as he faces widespread criticism and also an arrest warrant from the International Court of Criminal Justice over his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022 to prevent it from joining the Western military bloc, Nato.

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The summit is also being seen by many observers as an attempt by non-Western powers to stamp their authority amid the conflict in Ukraine and the escalating situation in West Asia. While China and Russia have clashed with Western powers including the US, India has maintained a balanced approach, asserting its independent ties and emphasising that Brics is non-West but not anti-West in character. Recently, Russia too endorsed India’s views.

During his two-day Russia visit, Modi is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings. Eyes will be on his meetings with Putin amid suggestions that India could play a peace mediator between Russia and Ukraine and also Pezeshkian on the margins of the summit.

This is Modi’s second visit to Russia in three months. He had last visited the country in July. Modi said his visit to Kazan would further reinforce the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ between India and Russia.

Speculation is also rife about Modi holding bilateral talks with China’s President Xi Jinping. This comes against the backdrop of the announcement by India on Tuesday that following the 31 rounds of military-level talks, India and China reached an agreement to disengage at the friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. China too confirmed India’s statement on Wednesday shortly after the two leaders landed in Russia’s Kazan.

It is not yet clear whether Modi and Xi will hold formal bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Brics summit or it could be an informal exchange. Neither India nor China has confirmed their meeting. China’s foreign ministry said, “We will keep you updated if anything comes up.” Modi and Xi last met in South Africa on the sidelines of the previous Brics summit.