A New Meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping: New Diplomatic Opportunities and India’s Balanced Policy

Source: Lokmat | Original Published At: 2026-09-12 02:25:02 UTC

Key Points

• The BRICS summit in New Delhi brings Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to India amid tensions linked to the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
• Putin's participation is described as his first at a BRICS summit since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, while Xi's visit is his first to India since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to attend, and the article frames the expanded BRICS grouping as strengthening a multipolar global order.
• The summit is expected to discuss energy, food security, supply chains, and possible BRICS-Pay or alternative currency arrangements linked to de-dollarization.
• The editorial notes that India's BRICS chairmanship emphasizes developing-country interests while seeking a balanced and autonomous foreign policy.
• It also highlights possible diplomatic friction if Russia seeks BRICS support on Ukraine and the need for India to manage relations with Iran, Gulf states, and Western partners.