Opinion | India Can Do A Lot With BRICS - If It Doesn't Let China Run The Show

Among all BRICS leaders, it's perhaps Russian President Vladimir Putin who is waiting for this year's summit, scheduled to be held on October 22-24 in Kazan, most eagerly.

Last year, he skipped the summit in South Africa for fear of being arrested. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes committed during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. South Africa, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, would have been obligated to arrest him had he entered the country. And so, Putin had to make do with virtual participation.

But this year's BRICS summit will be a significant moment for him as he will not only host the event on his own turf but he will also be keen to show to the Western world that despite their sanctions on Russia and attempts to diplomatically isolate him, he is still playing host to some of the world's most influential leaders, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. As a host, Putin's effort will be to highlight Russia's successful outreach to non-Western countries.