Putin set to visit India in September
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to travel to India in September to participate in the BRICS Summit 2026, which will be hosted in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The development was confirmed by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Tuesday, highlighting the continued diplomatic engagement between Moscow and New Delhi.
The upcoming visit will be Putin’s second trip to India within a year, underlining the strong strategic partnership shared by the two nations. In December last year, the Russian leader visited New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where he held extensive discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on defence cooperation, trade expansion, energy security and global geopolitical developments.
India currently holds the BRICS presidency for 2026 and is preparing to host several high-level meetings and diplomatic events connected to the grouping throughout the year.
The summit in New Delhi is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation among emerging economies, reforming global governance institutions and increasing the influence of developing nations in international decision-making.
The previous BRICS Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro, where member nations discussed ways to deepen collaboration under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited India to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. During his visit, Lavrov also met Prime Minister Modi to discuss pressing regional and international issues, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.
BRICS was initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as a platform to strengthen economic and political cooperation among major emerging economies. Over the years, the bloc has expanded its influence significantly and now represents a substantial share of the world’s population and economic output.
The organisation has recently widened its membership by including countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The expansion reflects the bloc’s ambition to amplify the voice of the Global South and reshape international economic structures.
India’s relationship with Russia continues to hold major strategic importance despite New Delhi’s growing ties with Western nations. Defence cooperation remains one of the strongest pillars of the partnership.
A significant portion of India’s military equipment originates from Russia, including advanced systems such as the S-400 Triumf missile defence platform, Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the jointly developed BrahMos missile system.
Apart from defence, both countries maintain close cooperation in energy, nuclear technology and international diplomacy. Analysts believe Putin’s upcoming visit could further strengthen bilateral relations at a time when global geopolitical alignments continue to shift rapidly.
