World in flux, Putin and Xi likely to be in New Delhi for Brics Summit

Amid the turmoil in the world, India is set to be the stage for a powerful meeting of world leaders in September as it hosts the Brics Summit. Russia has confirmed the participation of President Vladimir Putin, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Putin's participation in the two-day Brics summit has been confirmed by the Russian Embassy in South Africa. Russian officials also confirmed that, according to a report in Russia's news agency Tass. Read Full Story Xi's likely attendance at the Brics Summit in New Delhi was reported by The Indian Express on Wednesday. It cited sources to say that "Xi's participation in the BRICS Summit is the most anticipated visit". Xi's visit, if that materialises, will be the first to India since October 2019 when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. The Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020 and the tense Tawang border standoff in December 2022 had a chilling effect on Sino-Indian ties. It was on the margins of the Brics Summit in Russia's Kazan that Modi and Xi met for the first time since the border standoffs. The timing of the Brics summit and the presence of the leaders from Russia and China — the two prominent nations in the bloc — expected to attend is particularly significant amid visible internal divisions within the bloc over key geopolitical issues, especially the Iran war. The cracks became evident after Brics talks between the deputy foreign ministers and special envoys of the 11-member bloc were held on April 24 in New Delhi. The talks failed to produce a joint statement, with disagreements emerging over the US-Iran war, tensions between Iran and the UAE, and the reported wording changes proposed by India on the Israel-Palestine issue. This led to a diplomatic stalemate. India, which assumed the Brics presidency in January 2026, now appears set to play a crucial role in navigating these internal differences and holding the grouping together through an increasingly polarised global landscape. New Delhi will be hosting the 18th Brics Summit under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". Brics was formed with Brazil, Russia, India, and China coming together. The first Brics summit was held in Russia in 2009. The grouping was created to push for a more multipolar world order and challenge the dominance of Western-led institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and G7, while increasing the voice of developing nations in global governance. South Africa joined in 2010, turning Bric into Brics. In recent years, the bloc expanded further with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, significantly increasing its geopolitical and economic footprint. The Brics has been viewed as a threat to the Western dominance. It has also attracted criticism from US President Donald Trump. He described it as "anti-American" bloc, which he said was an "attack on the dollar". In July 2025, following the summit in Rio de Janeiro, Trump said that any country aligning with Brics policies would face an additional 10% tariff on imports into the US. Trump's comments came after Brics leaders expressed concerns over the US's unilateral tariffs and protectionism in their declaration. He had made similar threats earlier. Amid mounting global uncertainties, the upcoming summit of Brics in New Delhi is shaping up to be far more than a routine diplomatic gathering. With Putin confirmed to attend and Xi Jinping also likely to participate, the significance of the summit has grown considerably. Ends