New Delhi opened the BRICS summit on Friday under heavy security, welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to a gathering dominated by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Host Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to hold bilateral talks with both leaders.
Putin arrived alongside the Iranian leadership, with talks scheduled between Modi, the Russian delegation and Tehran’s representatives. The presence of Moscow and Tehran gave the meeting an agenda shaped by conflict, even as member states sought to project the bloc as a forum for economic cooperation.
The summit brought together the expanded grouping of emerging economies that BRICS now represents. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr attended as the first Philippine leader to join a BRICS gathering, a move Manila framed as part of a wider effort to diversify its partnerships.
“The president seeks to ensure that our modern partnerships remain open, resilient and capable of delivering prosperity to our people,” Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Analyn Ratonel said at a press briefing. Analysts in Manila described the trip as a low-risk chance to engage the bloc without committing to its positions.
Divisions within BRICS made a coordinated stance toward Washington unlikely. Members hold differing views on trade, security and their individual relationships with the United States, limiting the bloc’s ability to speak with one voice. The influence of US policy hung over the discussions despite no American presence at the table.
The gathering followed years of BRICS expansion that has reshaped the group from its original core. Earlier summits, including the 2023 meeting in Johannesburg, set the stage for the enlarged membership now seated in Delhi.
Preparations transformed the Indian capital. Authorities blocked roads, tightened movement across parts of the city and cleared some areas ahead of the leaders’ arrival. Residents voiced anger over evictions and restrictions imposed to secure the venues, with several neighbourhoods reporting disruptions to daily life.
For Modi, hosting Putin and Xi placed India at the centre of competing pressures. New Delhi maintains ties with Moscow while managing a complex relationship with Beijing and its partnership with Western capitals.
Leaders were expected to address trade, development finance and regional conflicts during the sessions. Talks between the Russian and Iranian delegations and their Indian hosts remained the most closely watched element as the summit got under way.