Putin Arrives in Delhi; PM Modi Conveys Special Message Through a Shloka

New Delhi : The national capital, Delhi, is bustling with activity as it hosts the 18th BRICS Summit. Stringent security measures and significant traffic diversions are in effect in the capital from today until December 13. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi on Friday morning for a three-day visit to India. Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting India for the first time in seven years. President Pezeshkian is scheduled to arrive at 2:00 PM, while President Xi Jinping’s plane will land in Delhi at 12:25 AM—shortly after midnight. The BRICS summit in India is drawing the attention of the United States and European nations.

Prominent figures participating in the BRICS summit include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed, Brazil’s Foreign Minister, and the Crown Prince of the UAE. However, neither the Bangladeshi PM nor any representative will be attending.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Delhi to attend the summit. Here, he will hold bilateral talks with PM Modi and other leaders. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived at the airport to receive him and extended a warm welcome. He was also accorded a salute by the three armed forces at the airport. After the reception, Putin proceeded to his hotel in his car.

President Lula da Silva could not attend the BRICS summit due to ongoing elections in Brazil. Instead, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira arrived in Delhi on Thursday night to participate in the conference.

In addition to member nations, several partner countries will also participate in the BRICS summit. These include Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Heads of state from these countries will also be in attendance.

President Putin will address the BRICS Business Forum. His bilateral meeting with PM Modi is scheduled for 3:30 PM today, and the Business Forum is set to take place at 5:00 PM this evening.

India imports goods worth $321 billion annually from BRICS nations. The largest volume of trade is with China and Russia. India imports goods worth $130 billion annually from China and $55 billion from Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a post on X that leaders from across the globe would gather for the BRICS summit in the coming days. He expressed confidence that positive and meaningful discussions on various global issues would take place at the summit, driven by a spirit of global welfare. Through a Sanskrit verse, PM Modi also conveyed a message regarding the company of good people, as well as the value of dialogue and friendship with them.

The essence of the verse he shared is that one should walk with and keep the company of good people, fostering dialogue and friendship with the virtuous, while avoiding any association with bad people.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)