Three Russian transport aircrafts landed at Noida International Airport for the first time on Thursday as New Delhi prepares to host the BRICS Summit.
Their arrival comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit. During the visit, Putin is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday ahead of the multilateral event.
Speaking to reporters via a virtual briefing from Moscow, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry 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,” news agency ANI reported.
Deep Dive
What topics will be discussed at the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi?
Why is the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping significant during the BRICS Summit?
How is India preparing to host the BRICS Summit with regard to security and logistics?
Peskov further underscored that the Russian President's visit is an opportunity for the two countries to discuss issues of bilateral relations. He also wished India success in hosting the summit.
{{/usCountry}}Peskov further underscored that the Russian President's visit is an opportunity for the two countries to discuss issues of bilateral relations. He also wished India success in hosting the summit.
{{/usCountry}}"In a couple of days, President Putin will begin his India visit. You know that our two leaders, Indian and Russian leaders, are in a very close personal contact. They are very pragmatic in their relationship, and they are as sincere as to be able to discuss in a very open and constructive way the most sensitive issues of our agenda and our bilateral relations. Of course, it opens additional horizons for our cooperation," Peskov added.
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"We have no doubt that the summit will be successful. Russia, we are doing our best to contribute to further development of BRICS cooperation in the three main pillars of our interaction. So, those are policy and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contexts. So, we are supporting the idea of inviting new countries to join different formats within BRICS.”
India hosts 18th BRICS
New Delhi will host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12 and 13.
While some top business leaders from across the world are expected to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the Brics Business Forum meeting on Friday evening, the main event will commence from Saturday, September 12, with the heads of the 11 BRICS member countries. Leaders from partner countries and outreach invitees will join the summit programme on Sunday, September 13.
The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam and will focus on issues including multilateralism, trade, investment, energy and food security, supply chains and global governance.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are expected to address the opening session on Friday, where discussions will focus on agriculture, trade, investment, supply chains and the digital economy.
The meetings will later move into a leaders’ session, which is expected to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi-Xi Jinping meeting
PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. This will mark Xi’s first visit to India in seven years. Xi last travelled to India in 2019, months before the start of a military face-off in Ladakh that lasted more than four years and took bilateral ties to a six-decade low.
The prime minister will also hold a bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday.
(With inputs from ANI)