The BRICS Balancing Act: PM Modi Between Xi, Putin, Pezeshkian And The Gulf

News explainers The BRICS Balancing Act: PM Modi Between Xi, Putin, Pezeshkian And The Gulf

Last Updated:September 12, 2026, 07:55 IST

India has built sufficiently deep partnerships with each of these power centres to engage them simultaneously.

New Delhi has become the meeting point for some of the world’s most consequential relationships as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral calendar, with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and leaders from the Gulf, offers a window into the breadth of India’s diplomatic reach.

On September 11, Modi held talks with Putin and Pezeshkian. On September 12, he is scheduled to meet Xi, while Saudi Arabia is represented by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is also in Delhi for a bilateral with Modi.

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India has built sufficiently deep partnerships with each of these power centres to engage them simultaneously, and increasingly use those relationships to advance India’s own economic, security and connectivity priorities.

That is the real BRICS balancing act – India at the centre, talking to everyone.

Putin: Defence, Energy, Trade, And India’s Message On Ukraine

PM Modi’s meeting with Putin on September 11 brought together almost every major pillar of the India-Russia relationship.

Defence remains one of them. The partnership has produced some of India’s most important military capabilities, including the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft, T-90 tanks, S-400 air-defence systems and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. The relationship has also involved licensed production and technology cooperation, giving India manufacturing experience and industrial capabilities rather than simply making it a buyer of Russian equipment.

But today’s India-Russia relationship is much broader than defence. Trade has become an increasingly important priority, with the two sides working towards a target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. PM Modi and Putin discussed closer trade ties and implementation of the Programme for Economic Cooperation 2030, alongside energy, infrastructure, space, skill mobility and industrial cooperation. They also visited the INNOPROM India industrial exhibition in Delhi, highlighting the push to expand commercial and manufacturing ties.

Energy has been another major pillar. Russian crude has become an important component of India’s energy basket, while fertilisers remain crucial for India’s agricultural economy. The relationship is also expanding into nuclear energy, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and other sectors.

This economic relationship gives the strategic partnership considerable depth.

Meanwhile, India has maintained its independent position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict while repeatedly telling Moscow that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. PM Modi reiterated that message to Putin during Friday’s meeting, as the two leaders discussed the impact of the conflict on maritime trade and the safety of Indian seafarers. PM Modi also said India stands ready to assist in peace efforts.

This reflects how India can convey the case for peace directly to Moscow precisely because it has maintained a relationship of strategic trust with Russia.

Xi: Border Stability, Trade And The Larger Asian Equation

Xi Jinping’s arrival in Delhi brings India’s most consequential Asian relationship into the BRICS spotlight. The Chinese President’s visit, his first to India since 2019, comes after sustained diplomatic efforts to stabilise ties following the 2020 Galwan clash.

The relationship has enormous economic significance as well as China remains one of India’s largest trading partners, with the two economies deeply connected through manufacturing, electronics, pharmaceuticals, machinery and supply chains.

The bilateral meeting therefore has two parallel tracks – maintaining peace and stability along the border while expanding economic engagement where it serves India’s interests.

Beijing has already signalled an interest in taking the relationship forward. Ahead of Xi’s visit, Chinese officials called for the two countries to enhance communication and cooperation, properly handle differences and approach ties from a “strategic height and long-term perspective."

Meanwhile, engagement with China does not require India to dilute its interests. It allows New Delhi to address differences directly while seeking greater market access, resilient supply chains and mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

BRICS provides a natural setting for that conversation because both India and China have a shared interest in giving emerging economies a stronger voice in global institutions.

Pezeshkian: Chabahar, Energy And India’s West Asia Outreach

The Modi-Pezeshkian meeting on September 11 added another critical dimension. It was the second meeting between the two leaders in less than two weeks and Pezeshkian’s first visit to India. Their talks covered bilateral relations as well as the rapidly changing situation in West Asia.

India reiterated that regional issues must be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy", while stressing freedom of navigation and commerce and the safety of seafarers.

But India’s Iran policy is about much more than the current conflict. Chabahar port remains central to India’s connectivity strategy. Located on Iran’s southeastern coast, Chabahar provides India access towards Afghanistan and Central Asia without relying on Pakistan and is linked to the broader International North-South Transport Corridor.

The port therefore connects India’s relationship with Iran to its larger ambition of becoming a major connectivity and logistics hub between South Asia, Central Asia, Iran and Russia.

Energy is another consideration, particularly at a time when disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have consequences for global oil markets and shipping.

Pezeshkian has also spoken about expanding economic cooperation within BRICS, including greater use of local currencies and financial mechanisms. For India, that dovetails with its broader push for stronger intra-BRICS trade and more resilient payment and supply-chain systems.

Saudi Arabia And The Gulf: Oil, Investment, Defence, Connectivity

Saudi Arabia brings a very different but equally important dimension to India’s BRICS diplomacy. Riyadh’s delegation at the summit is being led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

The India-Saudi relationship has changed dramatically over the past decade. Oil remains important, but the partnership now encompasses investment, defence, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, energy transition and connectivity.

The institutional anchor is the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, co-chaired by PM Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At their April 2025 meeting in Jeddah, the two sides expanded cooperation under the council and established a new ministerial committee on defence cooperation.

Saudi Arabia has also committed to investing up to $100 billion in India across areas including energy, petrochemicals, infrastructure, technology, fintech, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and healthcare. The two sides have discussed establishing two oil refineries in India and expanding cooperation in energy and petrochemicals.

Connectivity is equally important. India and Saudi Arabia are partners in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which can create new links between Indian ports, the Gulf and Europe.

The relationship also has a substantial people-to-people foundation, with around 2.7 million Indians living in Saudi Arabia.

The UAE adds another important piece. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is in Delhi and is scheduled to meet PM Modi. India-UAE ties now span investments, energy, technology, infrastructure, defence and connectivity, giving India another strong Gulf partnership alongside Saudi Arabia.

This shows how India can deepen ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE while simultaneously maintaining its strategic relationship with Iran. That is not a contradiction; it is the result of India’s willingness to engage every major stakeholder in West Asia.

India’s BRICS Moment

All these relationships converge in Delhi because India’s BRICS presidency is being built around a practical, development-focused agenda. The expanded 11-member grouping represents around 49.5 per cent of the world’s population, about 40 per cent of global GDP and roughly 26 per cent of global trade.

India’s stated theme for its chairship is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", with a people-centric approach rooted in “Humanity First."

PM Modi has pushed for concrete initiatives: reducing trade barriers within BRICS, creating more business partnerships, supporting startups, strengthening supply chains and expanding cooperation in technology, energy and finance. This makes the summit an extension of India’s larger foreign-policy approach.

Russia brings defence, energy, trade and industrial cooperation. China brings enormous economic weight and the importance of stable Asian relations. Iran provides connectivity through Chabahar and a direct channel into the West Asian crisis. Saudi Arabia and the UAE bring investment, energy, markets and connectivity to Europe. India sits at the intersection of all these relationships.

The world is coming to Delhi with competing interests. India is meeting each of them with its own interests, its own voice and an increasingly influential place at the global table.

About the Author

Pragati Ratti

Pragati is a News Editor at news18.com. Having headed the Business and Viral sections, Pragati now ideates, writes and edits long-form features and articles on national and global affairs. She ensures...Read More

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