India is preparing to host the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, with Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed to attend. This development comes as India holds the chairmanship of the BRICS group this year. A Kremlin aide has announced that President Putin will participate in the summit, marking a significant event for the international bloc.
The BRICS summit will also provide an opportunity for a bilateral meeting between President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting is expected to take place on the sidelines of the summit, further highlighting the strategic interactions between the BRICS member nations.
President Putin’s presence in New Delhi marks his return to India after his last visit in December 2025, when he attended the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. The upcoming summit underscores the strong ties within the BRICS nations, which have expanded in recent years. Notably, the group, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has grown to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates in 2024, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
Earlier in the month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov represented Russia at a two-day conclave of BRICS member states in New Delhi, setting the stage for the leaders’ summit. The BRICS bloc, now comprising 11 major emerging economies, represents a significant portion of the global landscape, accounting for nearly 49.5% of the world’s population, about 40% of global GDP, and approximately 26% of global trade.