15 bilaterals in 3 days: PM Modi's diplomatic sprint during BRICS summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held 15 formal bilateral meetings with heads of state and government over three days around the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, besides several pull-aside interactions with world leaders and heads of international institutions, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday.India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13 under the theme “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.

The gathering brought 13 world leaders and 17 delegations to the capital.PM Modi’s diplomatic engagements began with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met for the second time in less than a month after their interaction at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek on August 31. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in defence, energy, nuclear power and critical minerals, besides discussing efforts to achieve the bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030.

Defence discussions included the delivery of the fifth S-400 air defence regiment, upgrades to the BrahMos missile system and the possible supply of RVV-BD long-range air-to-air missiles. The Kremlin said Russia remained capable of meeting its commitments to India despite the continuing war in Ukraine and the pressure on its defence industry.The talks also covered measures to address the trade imbalance, expand the mobility of skilled Indian workers to Russia and build greater cooperation in fertilisers, steel and railway supply chains.PM Modi later met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was on his first visit to India.

Their talks came amid the continuing conflict involving Iran and concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy supplies.PM Modi reiterated India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy, while the two sides also discussed the Chabahar port, regional connectivity and the impact of the conflict on trade and energy security.The Prime Minister also held talks with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with discussions focusing on global conflicts, multilateral reform and the concerns of developing countries.Saturday brought the most closely watched phase of PM Modi’s bilateral schedule.

He met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh before holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the evening.The meeting with Xi drew particular attention as it was his first visit to India in nearly seven years. The Chinese leader last travelled to the country in October 2019 for an informal summit with PM Modi in Mamallapuram.Their talks followed the August 25 meeting between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which the two sides reached an eight-point understanding aimed at taking forward discussions on the boundary question and stabilising relations.According to the MEA, PM Modi and Xi welcomed the gradual improvement in bilateral ties and agreed that India and China should be partners rather than rivals.

PM Modi, however, stressed that peace and tranquillity along the border remained essential for the continued development of the relationship.The leaders also discussed trade, market access, supply chains and greater mobility between the two countries. China called for the boundary talks and the broader relationship to progress in parallel, while India continued to link advances in bilateral ties to stability along the Line of Actual Control.PM Modi’s engagements continued on Sunday with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who also attended in his country’s capacity as chair of the Eurasian Economic Union.He also held talks with leaders and representatives from the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Burundi, Nigeria and Uganda.

His meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa covered bilateral cooperation as well as the priorities of the Global South.Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Saudi Arabia’s leadership did not attend the summit, with the two countries represented by their foreign ministers.Apart from the formal bilateral meetings, PM Modi held pull-aside conversations with other visiting leaders and representatives of international institutions.

He also interacted with officials of the New Development Bank and participants in the BRICS Business Forum.The meetings allowed India to pursue separate bilateral priorities while using its BRICS chairship to press a wider agenda around the Global South. New Delhi pushed for resilient supply chains, greater use of local currencies in trade and reforms in international institutions to give developing countries a stronger voice.Moreover, the interactions gave PM Modi an opportunity to convey India’s position on the wars in Ukraine and West Asia, with New Delhi consistently calling for de-escalation and a return to dialogue.The pace of the outreach also reflected India’s attempt to use the BRICS gathering for concrete bilateral outcomes alongside the grouping’s broader political and economic agenda.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Sep 13, 2026 19:50 IST