NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on early Friday ahead of the Brics Summit 2026.Russian president’s official air vehicle landed at Delhi airport.During his visit, Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in a series of bilateral meetings.This mark his first overseas participation in a Brics Summit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.The two leaders are expected to discuss the full range of India-Russia ties, with trade, energy and defence cooperation likely to figure prominently.The visit comes just days after PM Modi and Putin met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek on August 31. At that meeting, the two leaders reviewed cooperation in areas including political ties, trade, defence, energy, space and mobility, while also discussing the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.Putin’s presence in Delhi also comes as India and Russia seek to deepen economic engagement despite mounting geopolitical pressure over Moscow’s war in Ukraine and Western restrictions on Russian trade.Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had earlier said the two sides are also exploring cooperation in rare earths, along with the possible sale of Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jets to India.
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Speaking to reporters during a virtual briefing from Moscow, Peskov said, “We’re looking forward to the President and Prime Minister having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled. It is scheduled for Friday, so first, like always, they will touch on the bilateral agenda. Trade and economic cooperation is a very wide scope.”On the agenda during Putin’s visit for the summit is also the possible sale of Russia’s Su-57 stealth fighters to India.Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed on Thursday that India and Russia have stepped up talks on manufacturing aircraft in India, including the IL-114 turboprop and Sukhoi Superjet 100.
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