PM Modi And Putin To Hold Bilateral Talks On September 11; Su-57 Sale, Trade On Agenda

On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

It will be held on the day before the 18th BRICS Summit that opens on September 12 at Bharat Mandapam. Both leaders will primarily work on the bilateral agenda, which will include discussions on defence and military cooperation, as well as trade and economic cooperation, Peskov said.

The Russia's plan to sell Su-57 fighter aircraft to India will be discussed during the Modi-Putin meeting, Peskov said.

He also cited trade and economic issues among others that will likely be on the agenda of the negotiations. India has yet to give an official reply in response to the Kremlin spokesperson's remarks about the proposed aircraft sale.

Russia's fifth-generation fighter plane Su-57 is being considered for purchase by India as part of the discussions for deepening military cooperation between the two countries.

The Kremlin also condemned a U.S. proposal to levy a 100% tariff on those who buy Russian crude oil.

The proposed measure is “illegal and unacceptable,” Peskov said, in the midst of the ongoing crisis in Russia's energy business and international sanctions.

The two-day summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Participants include leaders from the BRICS member countries, partner countries and invited countries.

The 11 group of core countries is composed of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Additionally, Indonesia became a full member in 2025.

In addition, there are 10 countries associated with BRICS: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The leader of the Russian Federation, Xi Jinping of China, will be among the guests of honor.

Putin declared himself at the summit, and Xi Jinping will probably be at the meeting as well. X's visit would be the first since he did a swish visit to India in Mamallapuram, in 2019.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul are among others leaders scheduled to attend the meeting.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will also be on board. Modi and Putin most recently met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Their latest face-to-face interaction came after the annual India-Russia summit held in New Delhi last December.

Meanwhile, Modi's previous meeting with Putin was in the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This was the first time they met face-to-face since their talks in New Delhi last December between India and Russia.

During their previous meeting, Modi emphasised the need to move towards an end to ongoing conflicts and reiterated India’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving peace.

Modi has been regularly referring to the Ukraine crisis in his talks with Putin. India has been keen to press for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The planned meeting on 11 September is likely to offer another chance for the two leaders to check up on the overall strategic partnership between India and Russia, including defence cooperation, trade and economic relations..

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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