Lavrov to visit New Delhi on 14-15 May for BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Synopsis
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is heading to New Delhi on 14-15 May for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting — and a full bilateral with EAM Jaishankar. With India holding the BRICS chair in 2026 and the 18th Summit set for September in New Delhi, this visit is as much about setting the stage for a landmark summit as it is about deepening India-Russia ties.
Key Takeaways
Sergei Lavrov will visit New Delhi on 14 and 15 May 2026 for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting .
Lavrov will hold bilateral talks with EAM S.
Jaishankar covering the full range of India-Russia relations .
Discussions will include preparation for the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation .
The meeting is being held under India's BRICS presidency , themed 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' .
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September 2026 .
Jaishankar and Lavrov last spoke by phone in March 2026 , discussing the West Asia conflict and bilateral cooperation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to New Delhi on 14 and 15 May 2026 to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday, 29 April. The visit, confirmed by ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova at a media briefing in Moscow, will also include a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, covering the full range of India-Russia ties.
What Lavrov's Visit Covers
Zakharova confirmed that Lavrov will participate in a full-fledged session of the BRICS Council of Foreign Ministers on both days. The session is being held under India's BRICS presidency for 2026 and is expected to focus on the international agenda, global governance reform, and the growing role of the Global South — what Zakharova described as
Point of View
With an expanded BRICS membership and deepening Global South assertiveness, places New Delhi at the centre of a geopolitical rebalancing that both Russia and India have strategic interest in shaping. The bilateral dimension is equally telling: the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation has long been the workhorse of India-Russia ties, and its preparation signals that both sides are looking to move beyond optics toward structured economic engagement. What mainstream coverage often misses is that India's BRICS chairmanship gives it rare agenda-setting power — and Lavrov's visit suggests Moscow wants to ensure its priorities are embedded in that agenda before September.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Lavrov visiting India for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to visit New Delhi on 14 and 15 May 2026 for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The visit was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry on 29 April 2026.
What will Lavrov and Jaishankar discuss during the bilateral meeting?
Lavrov and EAM S. Jaishankar are expected to discuss the full range of India-Russia bilateral relations, the schedule of high-level contacts, and preparation for meetings of the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation. They will also cover other issues of mutual interest.
What is the theme of India's BRICS presidency in 2026?
India's BRICS presidency in 2026 is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting a people-centric approach articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 2025.
When and where is the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled?
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September 2026, under India's chairmanship. The BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in May is partly aimed at preparing for this summit.
What is the history of the BRICS grouping?
BRIC was formalised at the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006. The inaugural BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. South Africa joined at the BRIC Foreign Ministers' meeting in New York in 2010, expanding the group to BRICS, and attended its first BRICS Summit in 2011.
