The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi was marked not only by high-level diplomatic discussions but also by several striking moments of camaraderie involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The three leaders were seen exchanging handshakes, smiles and sharing light-hearted moments during the summit at Bharat Mandapam, offering a visual representation of the close engagement among three major emerging powers.
India hosted the two-day BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13 under its 2026 chairship, with the bloc focusing on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
Modi shares warm moments with Putin
PM Modi shared particularly warm interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the summit.
The two leaders greeted each other with smiles and handshakes before holding bilateral talks covering political and economic cooperation, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people ties.
They also discussed regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia and the Black Sea.
Following their meeting, Modi and Putin travelled together by car to Bharat Mandapam. Modi also presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, highlighting the cultural and people-to-people links between India and Russia.
Modi-Xi interaction draws attention
Modi’s interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping was another major highlight of the summit.
The leaders were photographed alongside Putin, smiling and holding hands during the BRICS proceedings.
The images carried particular significance against the backdrop of the complex India-China relationship, which was strained by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged border standoff.
India and China have since maintained military and diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions and stabilising bilateral ties.
The Modi-Xi meeting at the BRICS Summit was seen as another important step in efforts to improve relations, with the two leaders discussing the border situation and the broader direction of bilateral ties.
Modi with other BRICS leaders
PM Modi also interacted with several other leaders attending the summit, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Modi was photographed walking alongside Pezeshkian, Xi and Putin, while he also shared a warm embrace with the Iranian president.
India has continued to advocate dialogue and diplomacy over conflicts in West Asia while maintaining relations with countries on different sides of the geopolitical divide.
The BRICS grouping itself brings together countries with differing strategic and regional interests, making consensus-building a key challenge for the expanded bloc.
What the Modi-Xi-Putin images signify
The presence of Modi, Xi and Putin together offered a powerful visual reminder of BRICS’ role as a platform where major emerging powers can engage despite their bilateral differences.
BRICS has increasingly focused on cooperation in areas including trade, finance, technology, development and global governance.
The summit also highlighted the grouping’s growing emphasis on the Global South and its call for a greater role for developing countries in shaping international institutions and global rules.
The three leaders’ interactions therefore carried significance beyond the informal moments captured by cameras, reflecting the complex mix of cooperation, strategic interests and differences that defines the BRICS grouping.
