New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held official talks in New Delhi on Friday, a day ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, with discussions focusing on expanding bilateral trade, industrial cooperation and civil nuclear partnership.
The two leaders discussed the target of taking India-Russia bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, along with ways to strengthen industrial ties and cooperation in the civil nuclear sector. The meeting was held at Bharat Mandapam, where the BRICS summit will begin on Saturday.
Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and growing pressure from Western countries, India has continued to maintain its strategic partnership with Moscow.
Highlighting India’s cultural heritage, Modi gifted Putin a Russian translation of the Tirukkural, the celebrated work of Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar. The ancient text contains 1,330 couplets covering ethics, morality and various aspects of human life.
Xi Jinping’s India visit in focus
The expected meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday is likely to be one of the key diplomatic engagements of the summit. Xi’s visit marks his first trip to India in seven years and comes against the backdrop of tensions following the 2020 border developments.
The BRICS grouping currently comprises 11 members — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE, Indonesia and India. New Delhi has sought to position BRICS as a strong voice for the Global South, rather than as an anti-Western bloc.
During the three-day summit, Modi is also scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings with visiting leaders.
On Saturday, he is expected to meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung. President Droupadi Murmu is also scheduled to hold a separate meeting with the Iranian president.
On Sunday, Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with the presidents of Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Egypt and South Africa, besides senior leaders from Burundi, Nigeria and Uganda.
The series of meetings is expected to provide an opportunity for India to advance its economic, strategic and diplomatic priorities with key partner countries.
