Xi Jinping Lands in Delhi; Pezeshkian Speaks to India Today Ahead of BRICS Talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The discussions focused on deepening ties across technology, chip packaging, trade, commodities, and business-to-business cooperation. Malaysia, a partner country to the BRICS grouping along with nations like Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, shares close historical and diaspora links with India under New Delhi's Act East policy. India also supports Malaysia's engagement within the BRICS framework as part of broader Global South integration and efforts toward a free and open Indo-Pacific. The report also highlights upcoming bilateral engagements, including scheduled discussions involving the UAE, focusing on strategic partnerships, expanding economic ties, and growing interest in Indian defence and military hardware exports.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has spoken in an exclusive interview with India Today amid heightened diplomatic activities at the BRICS Summit hosted at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The discussion addresses crucial geopolitical issues, including the ongoing West Asia conflict, escalating tensions across the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandab choke points, and their profound impact on global trade and the economy. Pezeshkian also touched upon Iran's strategic resilience, bilateral engagements with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the broader role of the BRICS platform. Addressing the BRICS Business Forum, the Iranian leadership emphasised the need for developing nations to counter Western financial hegemony, unilateral sanctions, and reliance on systems like SWIFT and the US dollar. With member states comprising key regional actors including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, and China, India's presidency focuses on bridging ideological divergences across the Global South.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at Hyderabad House ahead of the BRICS Summit. Ethiopia, which joined the BRICS grouping in 2024, is engaging in talks aimed at boosting modern economic cooperation and strengthening traditional ties with India. Discussions highlight trade and investment opportunities, with 675 Indian companies registered in Ethiopia. The meeting reflects India's consistent push for greater representation of African nations and the Global South on international platforms. The official sessions of the BRICS Summit, scheduled to begin later in the day, focus on multilateralism, resilience, and an inclusive world order.

A bilateral meeting between India and China is scheduled on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The talks mark a significant development as the summit commemorates the 20th anniversary of the grouping, which includes 11 member countries and 10 partner nations. Chinese media noted that India and China speaking in one voice presents a positive momentum for the Global South. Despite existing border tensions and mistrust between the two major emerging economies, the bilateral engagement gains attention amidst international scrutiny, highlighting the role both nations could play in leading cooperation across the Global South platform.