At the recent BRICS Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's impressive economic growth. Putin's commendation coincided with remarks from a senior International Monetary Fund official, who noted that India remains the world's largest growing economy, with strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

During the three-day summit in Kazan, Putin thanked PM Modi for his participation and highlighted India's economic achievements. "All of us talk about the need to ensure high economic growth rates; you (Modi) manage to do this successfully," Putin said. "We congratulate you on these results — 7.5% growth; this is an example for many of us,” he added. Putin also expressed gratitude for Modi's initiatives.

PM Modi returned to Delhi after concluding his "impactful" two-day visit to Russia, where he attended the 16th BRICS Summit and held bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X, "PM @narendramodi wraps up an impactful visit to Kazan and emplanes for New Delhi."

BRICS, representing 24% of the global GDP and 41% of the world's population, is often viewed as an economic counterweight to the West. The latest entrants to the grouping include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

PM Modi's Address at BRICS

In his address at the BRICS Summit on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's support for dialogue and diplomacy over war, calling for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He also highlighted pressing global challenges such as wars, economic uncertainty, climate change, and terrorism, asserting that BRICS can play a positive role in addressing these issues.

The prime minister strongly advocated for a "single-minded" focus and "firm support" in combating terrorism, stressing that there should be no "double standards" in dealing with this challenge. He also underscored the need for "active steps" to prevent the radicalization of youths.

Bilateral Meetings

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi held bilateral talks with several state heads, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. This marked their first structured meeting in five years. During the meeting, PM Modi emphasized the importance of not allowing differences on boundary-related matters to disturb peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

PM Modi's visit to Russia and his participation in the BRICS Summit underscored India's growing influence on the global stage and its commitment to fostering international cooperation and economic growth.