Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing welcome as he landed in Kazan, Russia on Tuesday to attend the 16th BRICS Summit.
Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Indian students studying in Russia, who also sang a traditional welcome song.
Members of the Indian diaspora were also present to welcome the prime minister, with whom he briefly interacted.
Modi also witnessed a special dance performance by Russian artists at Hotel Korton, where he is staying during the visit.
The two-day summit will see leaders from the BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — gather to discuss various global issues, including economic cooperation, climate change and multilateral reforms.
In his departure statement, Modi highlighted the significance of BRICS as a platform for dialogue on key global challenges.
“India values the close cooperation within BRICS, which has emerged as an important platform for dialogue and discussion on issues concerning the global developmental agenda, reformed multilateralism, climate change, economic cooperation, building resilient supply chains, and promoting cultural and people-to-people connect, among others,” he said.
This is Modi’s second visit to Russia this year. The prime minister visited the country in July early this year to attend the annual India-Russia summit.
On the sidelines of the BRICS summit, PM Modi is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.