Modi, Putin to hold bilateral talks Friday, Su-57 aircraft sale to India on agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold a bilateral meeting on Friday (11 September) on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said today (8 September). 
Speaking to reporters via a virtual briefing from Moscow, Peskov said, "We're looking forward to the President and Prime Minister having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled. It is scheduled for Friday, so, as always, they will first touch on the bilateral agenda."

The 18th BRICS Summit will take place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September. India took over the BRICS presidency on 1 January this year, becoming the grouping's chair for the fourth time.

Su-57 aircraft sale, trade on agenda

Peskov said that the sale of Su-57 aircraft to India is on the agenda, alongside other talks on trade and economy. India has not yet officially commented on Peskov's remarks.

On the United States' proposed move to levy 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian crude oil, he said the action is "illegal and unacceptable".

BRICS Summit in India

The two-day event will bring together leaders of member countries, invited participants, and senior officials at Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan.

The 11-member core group consists of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became a full member in 2025.

The bigger BRICS framework also includes 10 partner countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. These countries are partner nations and are separate from the full members.

Who is attending?

PM Modi will host the summit. Putin has confirmed his attendance, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to participate. If Xi visits India, it will be his first trip to the country since his informal meeting with PM Modi in Mamallapuram in 2019.

Other leaders expected at the summit include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is also expected to attend.

Modi, Putin last met at SCO Summit

PM Modi and Putin most recently met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It was their first face-to-face meeting since the annual India-Russia Summit in New Delhi last December.

"Every day spent perpetuating war pushes humanity backwards, and every step taken towards peace fills the whole of humanity with new hope and enthusiasm. We must move from endless war towards the end of war, which is very necessary for the well-being of humanity," Modi said in televised opening remarks at the meeting with Putin.

"A peaceful resolution of all issues as soon as possible is the call of humanity, and this is also India's message. The land of Gandhi and Buddha has one message — the path of peace," he said, speaking in Hindi.

Modi said the Ukraine issue had featured in his discussions with Putin at every meeting and stressed that India "supports all efforts for peace and will continue to do so in future".