BRICS Summit: PM Modi, President Putin to hold bilateral meeting on September 11

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on September 11 (Friday) on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. 

Speaking to reporters during a virtual briefing from Moscow, Peskov said the two leaders would discuss the bilateral agenda during their meeting. "We're looking forward to the President and Prime Minister having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled for Friday, so, as always, they will first touch on the bilateral agenda," Peskov said. 

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India assumed the BRICS presidency on January 1, 2026, for the fourth time. 

Su-57 aircraft sale, trade likely to feature 

The proposed sale of Russia's Su-57 fighter aircraft to India is among the issues expected to be discussed during the meeting, along with broader matters related to trade and economic cooperation, Peskov said. 

India has not yet officially commented on the Kremlin spokesperson's remarks. Peskov also criticised the proposed US move to impose 100% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian crude oil, calling the measure “illegal and unacceptable”. 

Who are the BRICS members? 

The 11-member core BRICS grouping comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became a full member in 2025. 

The broader BRICS framework also includes 10 partner countries—Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Partner countries are distinct from full members of the grouping. 

The two-day summit will bring together leaders of BRICS member states, partner countries, invited participants and senior officials at Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan. 

Who is attending the summit? 

PM Modi will host the summit, while Putin has confirmed his attendance. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to participate. If Xi visits India, it would be his first trip to the country since his informal meeting with Modi in Mamallapuram in 2019. 

Other leaders expected to attend include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. 

Leaders from BRICS partner countries, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, are also expected to attend. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to participate as well. 

Modi, Putin last met at SCO Summit 

Modi and Putin most recently met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The meeting came after their previous face-to-face interaction at the annual India-Russia Summit in New Delhi in December 2025. 

During his televised opening remarks at the meeting with Putin, Modi stressed the need to move towards peace. 

"Every day spent perpetuating war pushes humanity backwards, and every step taken towards peace fills the whole of humanity with new hope and enthusiasm,” Modi said. “We must move from endless war towards the end of war, which is very necessary for the well-being of humanity," he added.