Putin to visit India again for BRICS summit – What’s at stake this time?
April 16, 2026
According to Russia’s state news agency TASS, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the president will take part in the BRICS summit hosted by India.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to travel to India for the 18th BRICS summit later this year, a visit that underscores the enduring strategic relationship between Moscow and New Delhi amidst a volatile global landscape. The Kremlin has confirmed Putin's definite attendance at the high-profile gathering of emerging economies, which India will host as part of its year-long presidency of the bloc. The summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, will mark Putin's second trip to the nation in less than twelve months, following his visit in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. That previous meeting reaffirmed the "special and privileged strategic partnership" between the two countries, a relationship that has been maintained since the Cold War era.
The upcoming visit is set against the backdrop of India's leadership of an expanded BRICS. The group, which originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has recently grown to include several new members, enhancing its representation of the Global South. India's theme for its 2026 presidency is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," signaling an agenda focused on economic recovery, technological advancement, and tackling shared challenges like climate change. The summit provides a crucial platform for these nations to coordinate on reforming global financial and political governance, increasing trade in national currencies, and ensuring energy and food security.
For India and Russia, the summit offers an opportunity to advance their bilateral agenda. The two nations have historically collaborated closely on defense, civil nuclear energy, and space exploration. Their economic ties have also deepened, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $60 billion in 2025 and a shared goal of increasing it to $100 billion by 2030. During Putin's 2025 visit, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in shipping and transport corridors. This upcoming meeting will likely see further discussions on strengthening these economic links, particularly in the energy sector, as Russia continues to be a significant supplier of crude oil to India.
The geopolitical implications of Putin's visit are significant. At a time of heightened global uncertainty, the meeting serves as a powerful symbol of Russia's commitment to its partners outside of the Western alliance. For India, hosting Putin demonstrates its adherence to a foreign policy of strategic autonomy, where it balances its relationships with both Western powers and countries like Russia. New Delhi has consistently called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy while also maintaining its robust engagement with Moscow. The BRICS summit provides a forum for these discussions to occur on the sidelines, reinforcing multilateral dialogue.
Looking ahead, the summit is expected to further solidify the India-Russia partnership and outline the future trajectory of the expanded BRICS group. As the host, India aims to steer the bloc towards tangible outcomes that benefit emerging economies, from developing resilient supply chains to creating new financing mechanisms for sustainable development. Putin's participation ensures that Russia remains a central player in these conversations, working to shape a multipolar world order in coordination with other major non-Western powers. The leaders' discussions will be closely watched for their collective response to pressing global economic and security challenges.
Source: zeenews