Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not attend the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi scheduled for September 12–13, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir confirmed on Thursday (September 10). Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India to participate in the high-level gathering.

State Minister Humayun Kabir briefed reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, clarifying Bangladesh's representation and the nature of the invitation extended to the government.

"How would our Prime Minister attend? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government received an official state invitation?" Kabir asked. He noted that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman received an invitation to the summit in his capacity as the Chairman of BIMSTEC rather than a direct state invitation extended to the head of government of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Indian news outlet Anandabazar Patrika reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on a three-day official visit to attend the summit, landing at Palam Air Force Station in Delhi at 4:00 AM on Friday (September 11).

President Putin is slated to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 3:30 PM on Friday. The talks are expected to focus on deepening bilateral cooperation, trade, and strategic partnerships between Moscow and New Delhi.

The 18th BRICS Summit will host a assembly of global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Xi Jinping is attending the summit on September 12–13 at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While most invited heads of state are scheduled to land in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12), President Putin arrived a day ahead of the main proceedings.