Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Russia on October 22-23 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to attend the 16th BRICS Summit, which will be held in Kazan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that this summit is under Russia’s chairmanship.
While in Kazan, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral discussions with leaders from BRICS countries and other invited officials. The MEA stated, “The Summit, themed ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security,’ will provide a significant platform for leaders to address crucial global matters.”
The summit will also allow leaders to evaluate the progress of various initiatives initiated by BRICS and explore potential areas for future cooperation.
The BRIC nations—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—first convened in St. Petersburg in 2006. Following numerous high-level discussions, the inaugural BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. The group was later expanded to BRICS with South Africa’s inclusion as a full member at a meeting of foreign ministers in New York in September 2010.
Today, BRICS serves as a pivotal alliance of major emerging economies, representing 41% of the global population, accounting for 24% of the world’s GDP, and over 16% of international trade.
In September, President Putin invited PM Modi to a bilateral meeting on October 22 during the BRICS Summit. This invitation was extended during a discussion with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg. Putin referred to Modi as a “good friend” and expressed eagerness for their meeting in Kazan.
In a Kremlin statement, Putin mentioned, “We will be expecting Mr. Modi in Kazan. I also suggest holding a bilateral meeting there on October 22 to finalize our collaborative efforts and outline future prospects.” He also conveyed his warm regards to PM Modi.
This upcoming visit will mark PM Modi’s second trip to Russia in 2024, following his attendance at the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit in July, where he held discussions with President Putin and received the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Russia’s highest civilian honor. During that visit, the two leaders also toured the Rosatom Pavilion at the VDNKh Exhibition Centre.
