Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday, ahead of the two-day BRICS Summit.PM Modi gifted Thirukkural written by Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar to Putin.Putin arrived in India for a three-day visit accompanied by a high-level delegation. His visit will focus on strengthening India-Russia cooperation in trade, investment, energy and defence.The talks are also expected to cover technology, pharmaceuticals and people-to-people exchanges. The Russia-Ukraine war and diplomatic efforts to find a path to peace are likely to be discussed.Putin’s visit marks his first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.Putin was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs K V Singh. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and Russia share “multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in a special and privileged strategic partnership”.Defence cooperation is expected to remain a key part of the discussions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow and New Delhi are exploring upgrades to BrahMos missiles. Russia is also committed to completing the remaining deliveries of S-400 air defence systems.The two countries are discussing a possible supply of Su-57 fighter jets, Peskov said. India and Russia are also examining negotiations linked to India’s plans to establish new civil nuclear reactors.Energy cooperation is another focus area. Peskov said cooperation between the two countries in the sector remains robust.Modi and Putin had also met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek. During that meeting, Modi called for an immediate end to the conflict and urged Putin to move from an “endless war towards the end of war”.The bilateral talks took place a day before the BRICS Summit begins in New Delhi. The summit is expected to focus on food and energy security, healthcare, disaster reduction and critical supply chains.The meeting comes amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the West Asia crisis and uncertainty caused by trade and tariff policies of the Trump administration. For India, Putin’s visit provides an opportunity to advance economic, energy and defence cooperation with Moscow.