Russia-India BRICS Ministerial Meeting

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to visit New Delhi on May 14-15, 2026, to attend a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers. India holds the BRICS presidency for 2026 and will host the event. On the sidelines, Sergey Lavrov will hold bilateral talks with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian officials to discuss cooperation and regional developments. This visit follows recent diplomatic exchanges, including a video address by Sergey Lavrov on March 23, where he expressed anticipation for continued high-level engagement and mentioned an expected visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia in 2026. The relationship between Russia and India is described as a 'time-tested friendship' built on equality and mutual trust. President Vladimir Putin's visit to India in December 2025 reaffirmed strategic objectives and led to the signing of policy documents. Bilateral trade between India and Russia reached approximately $60 billion in 2025, with a target to increase it to $100 billion by 2030. Both nations are focusing on logistics, technology, and investment cooperation, including projects like the International North–South Transport Corridor and the Northern Sea Route. Approximately 96 percent of bilateral trade is currently conducted in national currencies. BRICS, founded in 2006, expanded in 2024 and 2025 to include Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, with several other countries gaining partner status.