BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE updates: Putin says BRICS' western rivals are trying to regain former leadership in 'unseemly' ways
BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE: Follow The Hindu's LIVE coverage of key leaders arriving in New Delhi for the summit and other related updates on September 11, 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi for wide-ranging talks on boosting bilateral trade, defence, energy and critical minerals
Updated - September 11, 2026 07:14 pm IST
Form L-R: Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, at the BRICS Business Forum 2026 on September 11, 2026. Photo: Special Arrangement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (September 11, 2026) met Russian President Vladimir Putin for wide-ranging talks that are likely to focus on enhancing annual bilateral trade to ₹100 billion by 2030 and further strengthening cooperation in defence, energy and critical minerals.
The two leaders are also expected to delve into expanding the already strong defence cooperation. Mr. Modi and Mr. Putin previously met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek last week, where the Prime Minister called for an immediate end to the conflict and urged the Russian leader to shift from an “endless war towards the end of war”.
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The two leaders are also expected to deliberate on strengthening civil nuclear cooperation, including fuel cycle and life cycle support. Increasing mobility of Indian skilled labourers to Russia and cooperation in critical minerals are also set to be discussed, the sources said.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has arrived in New Delhi to attend the BRICS Summit, being held against the backdrop of global disruptions to energy and agricultural supply chains caused by wars in West Asia and Ukraine. Mr. Pezeshkian is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today for bilateral talks.
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BRICS Finance Ministers and central bank governors on Friday discussed practical solutions for efficient cross-border payment mechanisms, with the BRICS Payment Task Force exploring ways to make payments between member countries faster, cheaper, more accessible, transparent and secure. The discussions also covered improving interoperability between payment and messaging systems and promoting trade settlements and investments using local currencies, while recognising that solutions must take into account the national priorities of individual BRICS members.
Three Tibetan students have been arrested and sent to judicial custody under Preventive Detention for waving flags critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the Tibetan national flag inside an underpass near Pragati Maidan.
Two others, an Indian student and a Tibetan media person have also been held by police.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that pressure on his country from the United States had reached a critical and dangerous stage, speaking in India ahead of a Brics summit.
“Iran has been subjected to heavy sanctions in recent years; this pressure has reached a critical and dangerous stage in recent months following the military aggression by the United States and Israel,” he said, adding that “the world today is going through a period of unprecedented complexity”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to India for the BRICS conference that the bloc’s western competitors are trying to regain their “former leadership” in an “unseemly” fashion.
Speaking to the BRICS business forum, he said that the West is resorting to destruction of facilities and pipelines and seizures of vessels to maintain economic leadership.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said exports from BRICS countries have risen from about $900 billion in 2003 to $6 trillion in 2024, reflecting the scale of its market and potential.
Speaking at the BRICS Business Forum here, Goyal also said the share of BRICS nations in global exports has nearly doubled to about 24%.
“This is the largest BRICS business forum ever held. The Forum has taken up issues such as non-tariff barriers impacting global value chains, agriculture and agri-technologies, services trade, women-led enterprises and digital economy,” he said.
Traffic restrictions, diversions and regulated movement will be enforced on several key roads in the national capital on September 12 in view of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, according to the Delhi Traffic Police.
The restrictions will be in force from 8.15 pm to 11 pm, during which traffic movement will be regulated along important stretches in and around central Delhi.
