Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in a high-profile family photograph at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, creating one of the most closely watched moments of the two-day gathering. The leaders came together with other heads of government at Bharat Mandapam as India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit.
In the photograph, Modi was positioned between Putin and Xi, with the three leaders smiling and holding hands. The image quickly attracted international attention because it brought together the leaders of India, Russia and China at a time when global geopolitical tensions remain high.
The family photo came during the closing phase of the summit, which brought together leaders from the expanded BRICS grouping. The gathering focused on issues including global peace, economic cooperation, supply-chain resilience, technology, energy security and the concerns of developing countries.
The Modi-Putin-Xi image was particularly significant in the context of India’s diplomatic positioning. New Delhi has maintained close strategic and economic ties with Russia while simultaneously managing complex relations with China. The presence of the three leaders together at the BRICS summit highlighted India’s effort to engage with major powers through multilateral platforms while maintaining its strategic autonomy.
Xi’s participation was also closely watched because it marked a major moment in India-China engagement. The Chinese president was visiting New Delhi for the BRICS summit and held a bilateral meeting with Modi on the sidelines. The two leaders discussed the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the border and managing differences through dialogue.
Putin’s presence added another important dimension to the photograph. India and Russia have maintained longstanding ties in areas including defence, energy, trade and strategic cooperation. Modi and Putin also held interactions during the summit, reinforcing the continuing importance of the bilateral relationship.
The photograph also came against the backdrop of India’s efforts to strengthen BRICS as a platform for the Global South. During the summit, Modi emphasized resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability as key priorities of India’s BRICS chairship. He called for greater cooperation among member countries and for BRICS initiatives to produce practical benefits for developing nations.
The summit’s discussions also addressed major global conflicts and economic challenges. BRICS leaders issued a joint declaration that included calls for peace in the Middle East and Sudan, while supporting stronger cooperation on areas such as food security, energy, artificial intelligence, climate action and cross-border payments.
For India, the family photograph carried a symbolic diplomatic message. With Modi standing between the leaders of Russia and China, the image reflected New Delhi’s ability to maintain dialogue with competing global powers while pursuing its own national interests.
The moment also underscored the growing visibility of BRICS in global affairs. With its expanded membership, the grouping represents a substantial share of the world’s population and an increasingly influential part of the global economy. The New Delhi summit demonstrated the bloc’s ambition to play a larger role in shaping discussions on international governance and economic cooperation.
As the BRICS summit concluded, the photograph of Modi, Putin and Xi became one of its defining images. Beyond the symbolism of the three leaders standing together, it captured India’s diplomatic balancing act and the broader BRICS message of cooperation among major emerging economies in an increasingly divided world.
