India, Sept. 11 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday began a three-day visit to India to participate in the BRICS summit and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand bilateral trade, investment and energy cooperation.

Putin is accompanied by a high-level delegation.

"Warmly welcome President Vladimir Putin of Russia for the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received by MoS K V Singh at the airport. India and Russia share multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

It will be Putin's first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

The two-day...