Troika 2.0: All Smiles As Modi-Xi-Putin Hold Hands At BRICS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off the BRICS Summit in New Delhi by welcoming global leaders for the huddle. The two biggest names alongside PM Modi, to attend the huddle are Russian President Vladimir Putin and China President Xi Jinping. In an embrace that lit up the summit, PM Modi shared an image on social media, of the three leaders holding hands.

Prime Minister Modi shared the images of the three leaders embracing, with the caption, "BRICS Summit 2026 gets underway in Delhi."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for keeping the sea routes safe for seafarers, highlighting their critical contribution to global trade, proposing a 'Seafarers' Emergency Support Network' as part of his broader address at the 18th BRICS Summit. PM Modi had also raised the issue of seafarers' safety during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Indian ships have been attacked during the US-Iran conflict, and the country's seafarers have been abducted by pirates. Five Indian seafarers died in the Black Sea due to ongoing Russia-Ukraine hostilities, prompting India to strongly raise the incidents with both Moscow and Kyiv.

"... Seafarers make a massive contribution to global trade, yet they often find themselves lacking support during difficult times. I propose that we establish a 'Seafarers' Emergency Support Network.' This would connect the maritime authorities and diplomatic missions of relevant countries, facilitating assistance with distress alerts, medical aid, family notifications, and evacuations..." PM Modi said.

As the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region continues to evolve, Xi Jinping on Saturday stated that the war there has caused serious losses to people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community. The Chinese President also urged the BRICS nations to 'firmly stand on the right side of history'.