Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, has arrived in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit as India gears up for some high-level negotiations for the purpose of economic cooperation, geopolitics and future of multilateralism in the world. Putin’s arrival comes at a time when the ongoing tensions around Iran and Ukraine continue to shape the diplomatic world.
With Putin’s arrival in India, it is likely that the engagements between the two countries will gain further relevance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to conduct bilateral talks with the Russian President where the topics could include trade, energy, defence cooperation, investments and other forms of cooperation between the two countries. India and Russia have enjoyed a good relationship over the years in matters relating to defence, energy and economic cooperation.
It is expected that the ongoing war in Ukraine would continue to feature prominently in the diplomatic landscape. India has continued to stand for dialogue and diplomacy along with its engagements with Russia and the western world. BRICS is a good forum where the participating countries can talk about global stability and economic affairs without having the traditional geopolitics agenda on the table.
Situation in West Asia is yet another significant issue that will be addressed during the upcoming summit. Tensions involving Iran have led to problems in terms of regional stability, energy supply, and international trade routes. Being a country with considerable interest in the affairs of West Asia, India finds the situation there significant.
Another set of issues that are likely to be discussed in BRICS Summit includes cooperation in economic, trade, energy security, technology, finance for development, and reforms in global institutions. Expanding in terms of number of member states, BRICS is getting more and more attention from all around the world.
It can thus be said that Putin’s visit is coming at a very critical time for India’s diplomacy. While hosting the leaders of major emerging countries, India is likely to receive an opportunity to develop its bilateral relations and solve some wider issues related to global peace, stability and cooperation.
