New Delhi, September 12, 2026 ; A striking moment of warmth and unity unfolded at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen holding hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The unusual display of camaraderie, captured at Bharat Mandapam, quickly emerged as one of the most talked-about moments of the summit, standing out against the traditionally formal and protocol-driven atmosphere of international diplomacy.
🇮🇳🇷🇺🇨🇳 A SYMBOLIC MOMENT
Prime Minister Modi shared the photograph on his Instagram account, accompanied by the background track “Kingdom BGM.” The image showed Modi smiling as he stood between Putin and Xi, with the three leaders holding hands.
The gesture offered a striking visual of cooperation among three major BRICS powers at a time when global geopolitical equations remain highly complex.
🌏 BRICS LEADERS WALK TOGETHER
Modi also shared several other photographs from the summit.
One image showed Modi, Putin, Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa walking together inside the summit venue.
Another photograph captured Modi in an animated conversation with Putin, Xi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
A further image showed Modi and Putin walking together, smiling broadly, while surrounded by security personnel and translators.
🌐 INDIA HOSTS BRICS SUMMIT
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit from September 12–13, 2026 in New Delhi.
The summit brings together leaders from 11 BRICS member countries and 10 partner countries, along with representatives of several international organisations.
The gathering provides a major platform for discussions on global governance, economic cooperation, development, trade, security and emerging geopolitical challenges.
The Modi-Putin-Xi photograph, however, offered a particularly powerful visual message: despite differences and competing interests, dialogue, engagement and cooperation remain central to the BRICS platform.
