Russian President Vladimir Putin begins his work at the BRICS summit, which opens today in Kazan. This year, Moscow holds the chairmanship of the group, positioning the Russian leader as the host of the event.
Although the summit officially starts in the evening with a friendly dinner for all arriving leaders, Putin will kick off a series of bilateral meetings earlier in the day. These meetings will continue after the evening reception and throughout the following days.
Today, President Putin will hold separate talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. A broad range of topics is expected to be discussed between the heads of state.
A Busy Schedule
Putin’s first day at the summit will not be limited to discussions with foreign leaders. His series of bilateral meetings will begin with a conversation with the president of the New Development Bank (NDB), former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. This marks the third meeting between Putin and Rousseff since she assumed leadership of the NDB.
The NDB was founded in July 2014 during the BRICS summit in Fortaleza. Its primary mission is to finance infrastructure and other key projects in member states.
Privileged Partnership
Putin’s first meeting on the summit’s sidelines will be with Modi. The two leaders last met in July 2024, during the Indian prime minister’s visit to Moscow. In 2024, they have already held at least four phone conversations.
The Kremlin emphasizes that relations between Moscow and New Delhi are characterized by a “specially privileged strategic partnership” and are developing successfully across all sectors.
In 2023, bilateral trade between Russia and India reached a record $56.8 billion, a growth of over 60%. In the first eight months of 2024, trade increased by another 9%, largely due to oil supplies, reaching $37.4 billion.
One of the priority areas of cooperation is energy. Russia’s export of hydrocarbons to India is expanding. The two countries are also collaborating on nuclear energy, with the flagship project being the construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in India.
Moscow and New Delhi also coordinate efforts in international forums such as the UN, the G20, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), with the Kremlin describing this interaction as fruitful.
Multifaceted Cooperation
Putin’s series of bilateral meetings will continue with a discussion with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa has visited Russia multiple times, including twice in 2023—once in June as part of an African peace initiative and again in July for the Russia-Africa summit. The two presidents have also spoken by phone twice in 2024.
Moscow and Pretoria are actively cooperating on political, economic, and humanitarian issues, and both countries advocate for the establishment of a fair, multipolar world order. The Kremlin has noted that “Russia and South Africa are bound by strong ties of friendship and cooperation, which have deep historical roots dating back to the struggle against apartheid.”
Trade relations are growing as well. In 2024, trade turnover has increased again, despite a slight 5% decrease in 2023. Promising areas of cooperation include energy, industry, agriculture, science, and innovation. The two countries are working on major projects in these sectors, including the creation of a solar panel park.
Humanitarian cooperation is also robust, with 85 scholarships allocated for South African students to study at Russian universities in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Unprecedentedly High Level of Relations
Next on Putin’s schedule is a meeting with Xi Jinping. This will be the third meeting between the Russian and Chinese leaders in 2024, following Putin’s state visit to China on May 16-17 and their talks during the SCO summit in Astana on July 3.
The Kremlin has emphasized that “Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction are at their highest level in history.” Putin himself has called this relationship “unprecedented.” Moscow and Beijing cooperate within major international organizations such as the UN, BRICS, SCO, and the G20, as well as on a bilateral basis. Annual meetings between the heads of government take place, and there are regular contacts through five intergovernmental commissions and numerous working groups.
Economic ties continue to develop steadily. In 2023, trade turnover between Russia and China increased by 23.1%, and it continues to grow. The two countries are closely collaborating in industry, high technology, agriculture, transportation, and logistics. There are regular cultural exchanges, and the two nations have declared reciprocal Years of Culture.
A New Role
Putin’s final bilateral meeting of the first day will be with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt. This is the first BRICS summit in which Egypt participates as a full member. During their conversation, the two presidents are expected to review the implementation of previous agreements and discuss current international issues.
The last meeting between Putin and el-Sisi took place in 2023 during the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, where the leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Moscow and Cairo maintain close cooperation in trade, economics, and science and technology. Egypt accounts for approximately one-third of Russia’s total trade with Africa. From January to August 2024, bilateral trade increased by 35% compared to the same period in 2023. This trend is expected to gain further momentum with the upcoming free trade agreement between Egypt and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Major joint projects include the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, El Dabaa, and the establishment of a Russian Industrial Zone. Additionally, Russian company Transmashholding is supplying Egypt with 1,300 passenger rail cars worth $1.3 billion. Humanitarian cooperation is also active, with 318 scholarships allocated for Egyptian students for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Other Events
This series of meetings and the welcome dinner are just the beginning of the summit. The event, which runs from October 22 to 24, will include closed and expanded sessions, BRICS Plus and outreach formats (with participation from nearly 40 countries), and a formal reception. Putin’s bilateral meetings will continue, as he is set to hold talks with almost all attending leaders.
According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the outcomes of the summit will be summarized both in writing and verbally. It is expected that after the expanded session on October 23, the leaders will adopt the Kazan Declaration, a comprehensive document summarizing not only the summit but also the entire Russian chairmanship of BRICS. Additionally, Putin will conclude the summit with a press conference on October 24.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS