The meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim covered areas including trade, investment, defence, semiconductors, infrastructure, the digital economy, energy and fintech. PM Modi's meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and India's engagement with Africa.

He also held talks with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with discussions centred on the India-UAE strategic partnership and cooperation in areas including defence, technology, energy, critical minerals and connectivity. Day 3: Africa, Central Asia and Southeast AsiaOn September 13, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Philippine President Ferdin and R.

Marcos Jr, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye. He also held engagements with the leadership of Uganda and Nigeria, according to the schedule of bilateral meetings.

The meetings broadened India's diplomatic outreach across Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia, with discussions focused on strengthening bilateral partnerships and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The engagement with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was particularly relevant to the Brics grouping, as South Africa is one of the founding members of the expanded bloc and an important partner for India in advancing the interests of the Global South.

The meetings with Egypt and Burundi further strengthened India's engagement with African partners, while the talks with Kazakhstan expanded India's outreach in Central Asia. The Philippines engagement added another important Southeast Asian dimension to PM Modi's diplomatic schedule, alongside his earlier meeting with Malaysia.

Bilaterals beyond formal summit agendaThe 15 formal sit-down meetings were accompanied by several shorter pull-aside interactions with other visiting leaders and representatives of international institutions. The diplomatic activity underlined the importance India attached to bilateral engagement during its Brics chairship.

While the summit provided a platform for collective discussions among the expanded grouping, the sidelines allowed PM Modi to address country-specific priorities directly with individual leaders. The meetings also came at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, with conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine affecting energy markets, maritime trade and global supply chains.

For New Delhi, the three-day diplomatic marathon offered an opportunity to simultaneously deepen strategic partnerships with Russia and the Gulf, stabilise ties with China, maintain engagement with Iran and strengthen India's outreach to Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia. The 15 sit-down bilaterals, combined with the additional pull-aside meetings, therefore formed a significant part of PM Modi's diplomatic outreach during India's 2026 Brics chairship.

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