Putin, Pezeshkian arrive in India as BRICS summit turns to war and trade
Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday for talks ahead of a BRICS summit that will be dominated by war, trade turbulence and oil. Iranian
Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday for talks ahead of a BRICS summit that will be dominated by war, trade turbulence and oil. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also in India for the two-day gathering, where leaders are set to confront the conflicts shaking the Middle East and Ukraine.
The summit opens on Saturday and will bring together 11 members of the bloc, which was created as a forum for major emerging economies seeking more influence in Western-led institutions. This year, though, the pressure points are harder to ignore. The gulf conflict is expected to be the central fault line.
Xi set for first India visit since 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive on Saturday for his first visit to India since 2019, a key sign of a cautious thaw between the two rivals. It is the biggest step yet.
Ties between China and India, both nuclear-armed, have warmed in recent months as flights, visas and high-level contacts have gradually resumed. That comes six years after a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border. The memory still hangs over the relationship.
Middle East tensions at the table
Experts expect the gulf conflict to drive much of the discussion in the coming days, with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all set to attend. That puts regional rivalries directly inside a summit built to project unity among emerging powers. Tough room.
For BRICS, the stakes are broader than one dispute. The bloc has long sought a louder voice in global affairs, but this meeting lands at a moment when the world economy is already strained by conflict and instability. Trade is under pressure. Oil too.
Putin’s appearance in India adds another layer to the summit’s already crowded agenda, with war in Ukraine also expected to feature. The gathering begins under a heavy cloud, and the next two days will test how much common ground the bloc can still find.