Putin To Visit India For BRICS Summit On Sept 12-13, Second Trip In Under A Year

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 , under India's chairmanship for 2026 , with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirming the visit on Tuesday. "President of Russia Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13," the Russian Embassy in South Africa posted on X, quoting Ushakov directly.

India is preparing to host the 18th edition of the BRICS Summit as part of its presidency of the bloc, with the summit expected to bring together heads of state, foreign ministers, and senior officials from both BRICS member countries and partner nations . India's chairmanship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" , reflects a people-centric, humanity-first approach , with a special emphasis on healthcare collaboration and pressing global challenges.

This will be Putin's second trip to India in less than a year , a remarkable frequency that underscores the deepening warmth between Moscow and New Delhi even as the West presses India to distance itself from Russia. Putin had previously visited New Delhi in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit , where both leaders held extensive discussions on strategic cooperation, defence partnerships, trade, and energy ties .

The groundwork for September has already been carefully laid. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited India, participated in the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting , and called on PM Modi on May 14 , briefing him on key developments including the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine . Lavrov declared: "We will be preparing for this top-level summit."

The Iran war is widely expected to dominate the September summit's agenda, with analysts noting it will "cast a shadow" over proceedings. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has already called for "safe, unimpeded maritime flows" through international waters, as the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of global oil and gas passes remains under blockade.

BRICS now brings together eleven major economies : Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE collectively representing a substantial share of global GDP, population, and natural resources . The bloc has increasingly pushed for reform of institutions like the United Nations, World Bank, and IMF , positioning itself as the pre-eminent voice of the Global South against Western-dominated global governance .

Putin's physical presence in New Delhi is itself a pointed diplomatic statement. At the 2025 Brazil BRICS Summit , Putin was forced to attend virtually because Brazil, as an ICC signatory, was legally bound to arrest him under a warrant for alleged crimes against humanity in Ukraine . India is not a member of the ICC and carries no such obligation making New Delhi not just a gracious host, but a uniquely comfortable one for the Russian President.