Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the BRICS virtual summit, but the Kremlin withheld his full speech, sparking Western speculation. While Xi Jinping and Lula urged the bloc to resist global hegemony, India’s Dr. S. Jaishankar demanded fair and transparent trade, warning against rising barriers. In a major breakthrough, Modi, Xi, and Putin held their first trilateral talks in six years, signaling a thaw in India-China ties.