The 18th BRICS summit is set to take place on September 12 and 13. Final preparations are underway across the capital. Top officials from various nations are scheduled to participate in this high-profile summit. However, the greatest interest centers on the meeting between Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin; the Indian Prime Minister and the Russian President are likely to hold a face-to-face meeting on 11th September 2026 (Friday).
According to sources, the two leaders are expected to discuss various key issues—including trade, defense, energy, and strategic cooperation—during the Modi-Putin meeting. It is anticipated that a major defense agreement between the two nations could be finalized at this meeting. A key highlight could be the fifth-generation Russian fighter jet, the Su-57. The United States is somewhat concerned about this meeting between Russia and India. Pakistan is also apprehensive about whether India might purchase any weaponry from Russia.
New Delhi is currently scouting for fifth-generation fighter jets. However, Moscow has proposed not only the sale of the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter jet but also its joint production and technology transfer. It is worth noting that the Su-57 fighter jet, developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau, is capable of striking various targets across air, land, and sea.This aircraft is capable of conducting combat operations around the clock, even in adverse weather and electronic warfare environments. Furthermore, this fifth-generation aircraft remains equally effective in conditions of low visibility. Experts are certain that the induction of such an aircraft into India’s arsenal will cause sleepless nights for China and Pakistan. Meanwhile, if Delhi purchases weaponry from Russia, defense ties between the two nations will be further strengthened; consequently, the role of US companies in India would diminish.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the two heads of state would also discuss the construction of new nuclear power plants in India with Russian assistance and the expansion of cooperation in the civil nuclear sector. Additionally, Modi and Putin might discuss issues such as US sanctions on oil trade with Russia amidst the Ukraine conflict and Trump’s tariff measures.
