New Delhi is preparing for a high-stakes diplomatic gathering as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin come together for the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13. The meeting matters not only because three of the world’s most consequential leaders will be in the same room, but because it comes at a time of intense geopolitical uncertainty.
For India, the summit is an opportunity to demonstrate its policy of strategic autonomy. New Delhi maintains close relations with Russia, has been working to stabilise ties with China, and simultaneously maintains strong partnerships with the United States, EU and other Western economies. Xi and Putin’s presence in Delhi therefore gives Modi an important diplomatic platform to reinforce India’s position as an independent and influential pole in a changing world order.
Xi Jinping’s visit is particularly significant. It will be his first visit to India in seven years, and his expected meeting with Modi has attracted enormous attention. India and China have attempted to stabilise their relationship following tensions along the Line of Actual Control. Their bilateral discussions are expected to touch upon border management, trade and broader regional stability.
Putin’s presence carries a different significance. India-Russia relations remain important across energy, defence, technology, space and trade. Modi and Putin have already discussed strengthening their strategic partnership, including cooperation in energy and other sectors. Their engagement in Delhi will provide another opportunity to reinforce this long-standing relationship.
But the biggest question is whether BRICS can move beyond symbolism and become an effective instrument of global governance. The expanded grouping now has 11 members and represents nearly half of the world’s population and around 40% of global GDP. Its agenda includes trade, technology, energy security, supply chains, development and greater use of local currencies in international transactions.
Yet BRICS is hardly a united bloc. India and China have competing strategic interests, Russia remains embroiled in the Ukraine conflict, and member states have different positions on conflicts in West Asia and relations with the West. This diversity makes consensus difficult.
That is precisely why Modi, Xi and Putin sharing the BRICS stage matters. The summit is not about creating an anti-Western alliance. For India, it is about ensuring that emerging powers have a greater voice in shaping global institutions.
