The presidents of Russia and Iran arrived in the Indian capital ahead of the 11-nation BRICS summit, which will focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as economic issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and agreed to further strengthen the “special” relationship between their countries.
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According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders “shared views on… conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region that have impacted maritime trade as well as the safety of Indian seafarers.”
Modi reiterated that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that New Delhi was ready to assist in peace efforts.
“The two leaders agreed to continue efforts to further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries,” the statement said.
Modi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and stressed the need to protect freedom of navigation and trade, as well as the safety and well-being of ship crews.
India’s foreign ministry said Modi stressed the need to continue efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is scheduled to arrive in India on Saturday, is also expected to meet Modi on the sidelines of the two-day meeting.
BRICS, which refers to the group’s original members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers.
It has since expanded to include Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – three countries with sharply different positions on the US-Israeli war against Iran that began in February.
Posters of a beaming Modi lined the streets of New Delhi to welcome summit leaders, while security forces were deployed across the capital and traffic restrictions were widespread in central areas. Delhi Police has appealed to people to show patience and cooperation.
“The Gulf conflict will be the central fault line during the BRICS summit this time,” Harsh V. Pant of India’s Observer Research Foundation told AFP.
“What was considered an achievement until last year – BRICS expansion – today looks like a big obstacle for BRICS,” he said.
This is Pezeshkian’s first visit to India as president and will put the Middle East conflict firmly on the agenda.
“The war in Iran will be a severe test for [expanded] cohesion of the group,” Shilan Shah of Capital Economics told AFP, noting that BRICS foreign ministers were unable to agree on a joint statement when they met in New Delhi in May.
India maintains warm relations with both Iran and Israel, but is also trying to find a delicate balance in its relations with Washington.
India has overcome an energy crisis caused by its war with Iran by turning in part to Russia, one of its most important strategic partners and most controversial fuel supplier in years, as Moscow’s war against Ukraine drags on.
Putin last visited India in December 2025, but this month he also met Modi in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Kyiv this month, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “grateful to India for its commitment to ending this unjust war.”
For Xi Jinping, it will be his first visit to India since 2019 and marks the biggest step in a cautious thaw between the rival neighbors, six years after a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border.
Ties between the nuclear-armed Asian giants have warmed again recently, with flights, visas and high-level contacts gradually being restored.
However, deep mistrust remains as their disputed border, growing trade deficit and strategic rivalry still strain relations.