In the Russian city of Kazan, a summit of the BRICS block of emerging economies took place, attended by world leaders such as Xi Jinping from China, Narendra Modi from India, among others. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his interest in strengthening cooperation among member countries and challenging what he considers a progressive Western order.
During the meeting, Modi reaffirmed India's wishes for peace in Ukraine, and Putin praised the "privileged strategic partnership" between Russia and India. It was expected that Putin would also meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in what would be his first visit to Russia in more than two years.
The Kremlin regarded this event as "the largest foreign policy event ever held" on Russian soil, with the participation of 36 countries, more than 20 of them represented by their heads of state. The original alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa has expanded to include other countries such as Iran, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
During the summit, projects were discussed, such as the creation of a new payment system as an alternative to SWIFT, the global banking messaging network, which would allow Russia to bypass Western sanctions. Putin held meetings with leaders such as Xi, Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in an attempt to strengthen bilateral relations.
The summit highlighted the close relationship between Xi and Putin, who announced a "no limits" alliance, demonstrating their cooperation on various occasions throughout the year. Despite the close ties between Russia and China, India continues to regard Moscow as a strategic partner since the Cold War.
Western allies hope that India will have greater influence in persuading Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine, although Modi has avoided directly condemning Russia, emphasizing the pursuit of a peaceful solution. Modi emphasized the friendship between India and Russia during his visit, reinforcing the ties between the two countries.
