Indian PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
“The two leaders exchanged views on India-Russia engagement in the multilateral sphere, in particular in BRICS under India’s Chairship for 2026” — statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs says.
BRICS must turn unity and consensus into tangible global results — The Times of India reports.
“Today, BRICS, too, has reached a moment of ‘coming of age’. Over the past two decades, BRICS has established a distinct identity on the global stage. We respect each other’s perspectives and move forward through consensus. We strive to advance not by opposing anyone, but by taking everyone along. Now is the time for us to translate our unity and consensus within BRICS into tangible results on the global stage.” — Indian PM Modi says.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian also participates in the BRICS Summit. His participation at the BRICS Summit and bilateral talks with Modi holds significance as it comes at a time when tensions are rife in the Middle East and energy market disruptions have shaken the economy worldwide.
With BRICS nations now representing nearly 3.7 billion people and close to 40% of global GDP, leaders are meeting amid rising geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and energy challenges. While the expanded bloc is seeking a stronger voice in the global economy, disagreements over an alternative payment system and China’s dominant role could test unity. Renewable energy and green infrastructure financing are emerging as key areas to watch — Deutsche Welle reports.
Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday urged BRICS member countries to link their payment systems, encourage trade in local currencies, and make digital trade more accessible globally.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum on Friday, Goyal highlighted India’s digital payments ecosystem, including the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as a potential foundation for deeper cross-border financial cooperation among BRICS economies.
