India-Russia-China Bonhomie on Display at BRICS: What the Modi-Xi-Putin Group Photos Reveal

New Delhi: The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi was about more than speeches and a joint declaration. Some of its most discussed moments came through photographs — particularly images showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin together.

The three leaders were seen sharing a light moment and holding hands during a BRICS photo opportunity, creating a powerful visual of cooperation among three major powers at a time of intense geopolitical tensions.

The imagery was notable because the three countries have very different relationships with one another and with the West. India has maintained strategic ties with both Russia and the US, while its relationship with China has been shaped by years of border tensions. Russia, meanwhile, remains heavily dependent on China amid its confrontation with Western countries.

The picture that grabbed attention

One of the most striking photographs showed Modi standing between Putin and Xi, with the three leaders holding hands as they posed.

The image was widely interpreted as a symbol of BRICS unity and the group's push for a more multipolar international order. However, the photograph itself should not be read as proof that India, China and Russia have formed a political or military alliance.

BRICS remains a diverse grouping whose members often disagree on major geopolitical issues. The 2026 summit itself demonstrated those differences, particularly over the wars and tensions in the Middle East.

Modi-Xi meeting adds another layer

The optics were particularly significant because Xi's visit to India marked his first trip to New Delhi in seven years.

Modi and Xi also held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit. Both sides indicated a desire to stabilise and improve bilateral ties, including continued efforts to address outstanding border issues.

The meeting came after years of strained India-China relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and subsequent military tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

For New Delhi, improving ties with Beijing does not mean abandoning its concerns over the border or its wider strategic interests. Instead, the current approach appears focused on managing differences while keeping channels of economic and diplomatic engagement open.

Modi-Putin chemistry also stood out

The Russia-India relationship was another major feature of the summit's imagery.

Modi and Putin were photographed walking together and, in another widely circulated moment, travelling in the same car after their bilateral meeting.

The so-called “car diplomacy” became one of the summit's most talked-about visuals, reinforcing the long-standing political warmth between the Indian and Russian leaderships.

India has continued to describe Russia as an important strategic partner despite Moscow's war in Ukraine and intense Western pressure on countries maintaining economic ties with Russia.

Why the three-way picture matters

The significance of the Modi-Xi-Putin photographs lies partly in what they represent about India's foreign-policy positioning.

New Delhi has consistently sought to maintain relationships with competing global powers rather than align itself completely with any one bloc.

India's ties with the United States have expanded considerably in areas such as defence, technology and trade. At the same time, Russia remains a major defence and energy partner, while China remains India's largest neighbour and an important economic counterpart.

The BRICS platform allows India to engage with all three strategic directions simultaneously.

A united BRICS — but not a uniform one

The summit brought together the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping, including India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Despite their differences, the leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration, which addressed issues including multilateralism, global governance, trade, development, conflict and unilateral sanctions.

The bloc also backed greater cooperation in areas such as local-currency trade, cross-border payment systems, artificial intelligence, food security, energy and climate action.

The fact that countries with sharply different positions on issues such as Iran, the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine conflict could agree on a common declaration was itself presented as a diplomatic achievement.

The West was also watching

The Modi-Xi-Putin visuals inevitably carried significance beyond the BRICS membership.

The summit came amid continuing tensions between Russia and Western countries, a US-China strategic rivalry and heightened uncertainty in the Middle East.

BRICS leaders called for a more multipolar global system and criticised unilateral sanctions and tariff barriers. China also pushed for deeper cooperation within what it described as a broader “Greater BRICS” framework.

That does not mean BRICS is becoming an anti-Western alliance.

In fact, India's position has repeatedly been that BRICS should remain “non-West” rather than “anti-West”, allowing member states to pursue cooperation without turning the grouping into a confrontation with the US and its allies.

What the photographs reveal — and what they don't

The photographs reveal something important about diplomatic optics: Modi, Xi and Putin were comfortable sharing the spotlight and presenting an image of cordiality.

But the pictures do not erase the strategic differences between the three countries.

India and China still have unresolved border concerns. Russia's relationship with China has deepened considerably. India continues to strengthen ties with the US, Europe, Japan and other partners.

The real test of the BRICS bonhomie will therefore not be the photographs but whether the countries can translate their public displays of unity into practical cooperation on trade, payments, technology, energy and global governance.

For India, the summit offered an opportunity to demonstrate that its foreign policy can maintain close ties with Russia, manage competition with China and simultaneously preserve partnerships with the West.