Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit New Delhi to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit 2026 scheduled for September 12-13, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday.
The visit will mark Putin’s second trip to India within a year. The Russian President had earlier travelled to New Delhi in December last year for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where he held talks with Narendra Modi on strengthening bilateral ties.
The upcoming summit comes as India holds the chairmanship of the BRICS grouping for 2026. Several meetings and events linked to India’s BRICS presidency are being organised across the country this year.
The last BRICS Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance".
Earlier this month, Sergey Lavrov visited India to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting. During the visit, Lavrov also met Prime Minister Modi and discussed a range of regional and global issues, including the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.
BRICS is an influential intergovernmental organisation originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to strengthen economic, political, and social cooperation among its members. Representing a massive share of the world’s population and global gross domestic product, the bloc focuses on reforming international financial systems and enhancing economic cooperation among emerging economies.
The alliance has also welcomed new members like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, significantly broadening its reach across West Asia and Africa
India’s strategic relationship with Russia continues to remain a key pillar of its foreign policy, shaped by decades of defence cooperation, energy ties and geopolitical coordination. Despite expanding partnerships with the West, New Delhi still views Moscow as a critical partner in safeguarding its long-term strategic interests.
For India, Russia remains indispensable largely because of its central role in the country’s defence architecture. A substantial portion of the Indian Armed Forces’ military hardware is of Russian origin, including frontline systems such as the S-400 Triumf air defence system, Sukhoi fighter jets and the jointly developed BrahMos missile system. Over the decades, Moscow has emerged as India’s most dependable supplier of advanced military equipment, technology transfers and strategic defence cooperation.
Russia has also become increasingly important for India’s energy security. Following Western sanctions on Moscow after the Ukraine conflict, India sharply increased imports of discounted Russian crude oil. The move helped New Delhi shield itself from global energy price shocks, stabilise domestic fuel prices and manage inflation during a period of economic uncertainty.
Beyond defence and energy, the relationship carries major geopolitical significance. India’s close engagement with Russia helps maintain strategic balance in an increasingly polarised global order. By sustaining strong ties with Moscow, New Delhi seeks to ensure that Russia’s growing partnership with China does not evolve into a bloc directly hostile to Indian interests. Russia has also consistently backed India on several sensitive issues at the United Nations Security Council, giving New Delhi the support of a veto-wielding global power.