Modi Presents Russian Edition of Thirukkural to Putin at BRICS Summit
PM Modi gifted a Russian edition of the Thirukkural to President Putin during their bilateral meeting at the 18th BRICS Summit in Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a Russian edition of the Thirukkural to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit. The exchange of the classical Tamil text was captured in photographs from the bilateral engagement.
A classical Tamil text
The Thirukkural, also known as Tirukkural, is attributed to the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. It comprises 1,330 two-line couplets offering guidance on ethical and righteous living, without attachment to any particular god, caste or creed. The name derives from Thiru, meaning sacred or blessed, and Kural, a short two-line poetic form.
Its teachings are organised around three themes: aram (virtue), porul (wealth and statecraft), and inbam (love). The work is widely respected among Tamils and is often referred to as the 'Tamil Veda'. Scholars also regard it as a significant work of aphoristic literature.
Putin's visit and bilateral talks
Putin arrived in the national capital earlier in the day to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13. He was welcomed on arrival by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
He later held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi that lasted around 50 minutes. Putin was accompanied by a high-level delegation. This marks his first in-person participation at a BRICS Summit outside Russia since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.
The Ministry of External Affairs described the bilateral relationship as "multifaceted and longstanding". In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Warmly welcome President Vladimir Putin of Russia for the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received by MoS @KVSinghMPGonda at the airport. India and Russia share multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership."
Summit agenda
India is hosting the BRICS Summit 2026 on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. The two-day event is expected to focus on boosting collective resilience in food, energy, health, disaster reduction and critical supply chains, with New Delhi positioning the bloc as an effective anchor to navigate a fragmented geopolitical environment. Putin is also scheduled to address the BRICS Business Forum later in the day.