New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Russian President Vladimir Putin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi as the 18th BRICS Summit begins under India’s chairship.During the welcome of BRICS leaders, PM Modi welcomed the leaders against the backdrop of the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.Earlier on Friday, PM Modi held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, met United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and addressed the BRICS Business Forum, making for a day of intensive diplomacy as India hosts the grouping’s summit under its 2026 chairship.The meeting with Putin was the second between the two leaders this year. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders had earlier met on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek in August.The leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people domains, the MEA said.The discussions also included India’s BRICS chairship and India-Russia engagement in the multilateral sphere, besides key regional and global issues, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.Meanwhile, in a major diplomatic breakthrough, a joint statement will be issued by the BRICS nations during the summit today.BRICS countries have reached consensus on a Joint Statement after intensive negotiations that continued until 4 am on Saturday. The negotiations saw differences on several contentious issues. India led sustained consultations to bridge competing positions and build consensus among members.India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. India’s Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.The grouping currently comprises 11 countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.India’s BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.For India, the 2026 Chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings.With his Ethiopian counterpart, he discussed defence, investment linkages, critical minerals and clean energy with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, stating that the two nations are taking an “old friendship into new frontiers.”“India and Ethiopia are taking an old friendship into new frontiers! Delighted to welcome PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali on his first visit to India. Today’s talks covered: Defence. Capacity building. Investment linkages. Critical minerals. Clean energy. Healthcare. Together, we will also strengthen India-Africa ties and amplify the voice of the Global South,” PM Modi posted on X.Following his meeting with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, PM Modi hailed the growing defence partnership and expanding two-way investments between the two nations. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)