Mishap at BRICS Leaders’ Summit: Modi Nearly Unbalances Putin

Source: Newsbomb.gr | Original Published At: 2026-09-14 21:13:47 UTC

Key Points

• During the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled Russian President Vladimir Putin by the hand while arranging the leaders' family photo, causing Putin to momentarily lose balance.
• Organizers initially placed Putin next to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, but South African President Cyril Ramaphosa swapped positions, allowing Putin to stand beside Modi.
• The summit brought together leaders from countries with historical disputes, including India and China, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, highlighting divisions and challenges in reaching common goals.
• The New Delhi Declaration called for maximum restraint in the Middle East conflict, condemned attacks on civilian and peaceful nuclear facilities without assigning blame, and reaffirmed support for the two-state solution.
• The declaration did not mention Russia's war in Ukraine and criticized unilateral sanctions and indiscriminate tariff increases without naming the United States.
• India emphasized strategic autonomy and cooperation within BRICS rather than presenting the grouping as an anti-Western bloc.
• The summit enabled high-level contacts, including between Iranian and Emirati representatives, and marked Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to New Delhi in seven years.