Vladimir Putin is set to travel to India later this year to participate in the next BRICS summit, according to an official statement from the Kremlin. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian leader will “definitely” attend the gathering.

India is scheduled to host the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026 during its presidency of the bloc. The meeting, to be held under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to bring together heads of major emerging economies amid ongoing global economic and geopolitical challenges.

Second Visit Within a Year

Putin’s upcoming trip will be his second visit to India in less than twelve months. He was previously in New Delhi in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where he and Prime Minister Modi reviewed cooperation across defence, energy, trade and strategic sectors.

That visit also commemorated 25 years since the signing of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between India and Russia — an agreement first concluded during Putin’s inaugural trip to India in 2000.

Understanding BRICS and Its Expanding Role

BRICS has grown significantly since its formation and now comprises 11 emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

The platform facilitates coordination on international political and economic matters, including reforms in global institutions, development financing, trade cooperation and energy policy.

The grouping began as BRIC in 2006 when foreign ministers met on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Its first leaders’ summit took place in Yekaterinburg in 2009. The inclusion of South Africa in 2010 led to the adoption of the acronym BRICS. In recent years, the bloc has broadened its membership further, while also engaging partner nations such as Belarus, Nigeria, Malaysia and Vietnam.

India’s Focus During Its Presidency

Since assuming the chair in January 2026, India has outlined an agenda centred on the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” with particular emphasis on amplifying the voice of the Global South.

Among the priorities identified are reforming multilateral institutions, promoting trade in local currencies, strengthening digital public infrastructure, improving global health preparedness, enhancing counter-terror collaboration, accelerating climate finance and energy transition efforts, and encouraging stronger cultural and people-to-people exchanges within the bloc.

Putin’s participation is expected to further reinforce India-Russia engagement while contributing to broader discussions shaping the future direction of the expanded BRICS framework.