Guterres Meets Modi in New Delhi Ahead of BRICS Summit

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in New Delhi on Friday and held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of a weekend summit of the BRICS grouping of countries.

The discussions between the two leaders covered India's presidency of BRICS this year as well as global developments, including the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Modi held separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, part of efforts to strengthen ties before the summit.

BRICS, chaired by India this year, brings together major emerging markets and developing countries. The acronym derives from the names of its founding members in 2006 — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which joined soon after. The group has since expanded to include 11 countries that together account for about half the world's population.

The summit, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, will also be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The BRICS nations have been facing a test of their unity amid the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and rising tensions between the United States and China.

During his visit, Guterres was welcomed at Indira Gandhi International Airport and later arrived at the UN house, where he met heads of UN agencies working in the country.