Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to resolve the West Asia conflict through dialogue and diplomacy during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Modi stressed continued efforts for lasting regional peace and stability, freedom of navigation and commerce, and the safety and well-being of seafarers. The meeting was their second since August 31 and marked Pezeshkian’s first India visit as president. Modi said India remains committed to enduring peace and discussed India-Iran friendship and bilateral relations. India has raised concerns over attacks on merchant vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s closure of the waterway has affected India’s energy and fertiliser supplies. Modi also thanked Iran for its BRICS participation. (PC: @pmoindia)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised India’s BRICS leadership, saying New Delhi can steer the grouping “in an excellent way” as it strengthens cooperation among emerging economies. Speaking ahead of the summit, Araghchi called BRICS an important institution and said India could lead its members effectively. He highlighted discussions on reducing reliance on dominant currencies, saying all members believe national currencies should be strengthened for intra-BRICS trade. A common BRICS currency, he said, remains under consideration. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who urged dialogue and diplomacy over the West Asia conflict and stressed safe navigation and seafarer safety. India is hosting the summit on September 12-13.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers are essential for promoting global trade. Addressing the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi, Modi stressed that secure sea lanes and open supply routes are critical to the smooth movement of goods worldwide. He said safe and resilient supply chains are essential for global trade and reiterated India’s strong support for freedom of navigation and seafarer safety. His remarks highlighted the importance of maintaining secure maritime routes and protecting seafarers to ensure uninterrupted international commerce. Modi’s comments came as he addressed business leaders at the forum, where global trade and supply-chain resilience were key economic concerns.

An Indian woman in Canada, identified as Raj Tiwana, was arrested after a dispute with her tenant over a barbecue escalated into confrontations documented in viral social media videos. The dispute reportedly began when Tiwana objected to the tenant using a barbecue in the garden with a friend, citing concern over brown stains on a wall and property damage. The 50-year-old tenant argued he had the right to have friends over for dinner and told her to leave. In another confrontation, Tiwana was seen removing food from a grill before picking up wood and pushing the food off, saying she could not allow cooking on her property and would call police.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said India wants peace with China but will not compromise on its territory or sovereignty. Speaking on CNN-News18 BRICS Dialogues, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made efforts to normalise India-China ties. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said his views on China are shaped by the state’s experience, but avoided elaborating to prevent his remarks being interpreted as the government’s official position. He said India is strengthening border infrastructure and will match China’s capabilities in frontier areas. Rijiju also dismissed China’s attempts to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh as “tactical games”, asserting that Arunachal Pradesh is not part of Chinese history or civilisation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed new ways to boost trade and investment among BRICS nations during the BRICS Business Forum. Putin proposed an investment platform backed by the New Development Bank (NDB) to mobilise private-sector funding and improve BRICS economies’ competitiveness. He said the NDB was already doing significant work and could provide the basis for a broader investment mechanism, expressing hope that other members would support the initiative. Pezeshkian advocated greater use of national currencies instead of the US dollar for trade. The proposals focused on strengthening economic cooperation and integration, increasing investment and reducing reliance on dollar-based transactions among BRICS members, further deepening cooperation. (PC: AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral ties during their meeting on the margins of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The talks covered political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people cooperation. Putin invited Modi to Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit, and he accepted the invitation. The leaders exchanged views on conflicts in West Asia and the situation in the Black Sea region. They reviewed progress across areas of cooperation and welcomed Russia’s Industrial Exhibition “INNOPROM India”, held in India for the first time from September 9-11, highlighting its role in expanding trade and industrial ties. The strategic partnership continues to grow. (PC: X)

Russian President Vladimir Putin compared BRICS with the G7 at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi, saying BRICS countries produced more than 40 per cent of global GDP over the last five years, against 29 per cent for the G7. He said the world is undergoing deep structural shifts, with new growth engines replacing traditional economic leaders. Putin accused Western competitors of using measures including pipeline destruction, blocking transport corridors, vessel seizures and sanctions to undermine other economies. He said Russia faces more than 30,000 sanctions, twice the number imposed on all other countries combined. Despite this, he said Russia strengthened national sovereignty and developed ties with reliable partners.

As Bharat Mandapam prepares to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, Delhi’s luxury hotels are finalising menus centred on millets, local produce and balanced flavours. At The LaLiT, executive sous chef Amit Biswas said millets were being promoted in line with the Prime Minister’s focus on the grain, while Indian spices, traditional vegetables and farm-grown produce would showcase local offerings. The Taj Mahal’s “Tradition to Table” selection features regional snacks, including Kashmiri spiced walnuts, Maharashtra’s Bhakarwadi and Tamil Nadu’s Murukku. The Leela Palace is offering an edible lotus with rose, saffron and cardamom, alongside millet cookies, granola bars and wellness infusions. Menus will combine Indian culinary heritage with contemporary and international influences for summit guests.

8 young Indians have been recognised as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust’s 100 Young Leaders Awards 2026. The awards were presented by British Deputy High Commissioner to India Ben Mellor at a ceremony in New Delhi on September 9. The eight awardees are Aashraya Seth, Abhishek Gupta, Girish Mehta, Isha Jauhar, Pallavi Kejriwal, Samit Sakib Gore, Shakti Balasubramanian Yadav and Kavya Jain. They were selected from thousands of applications for their work in areas including education, health, environment, livelihoods and inclusion. India has the highest number of awardees. Some of them are expected to travel to London in October.