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At the invitation of Russian President <keyword id="19900702" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vladimir-putin" source="keywords">Vladimir Putin</keyword>, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President <keyword id="19946362" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Xi-Jinping" source="keywords">Xi Jinping</keyword> will attend the 16th <keyword id="21003379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BRICS-summit" source="keywords">BRICS Summit</keyword> in Kazan, Russia, from October 22-23, 2024. The summit will focus on the theme "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security," providing a key platform for leaders to discuss pressing global issues and explore opportunities for collaboration. The <keyword id="20037428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BRICS" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BRICS" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BRICS">BRICS</keyword> group, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2006, has grown to include South Africa, and recently expanded further to welcome Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, making it a 10-member bloc. <keyword id="19911498" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Putin" source="keywords">Putin</keyword> sees this <keyword id="23595116" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="expanded-BRICS" source="keywords">expanded BRICS</keyword> as a counterweight to Western dominance in global politics and trade. During his visit, <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> is expected to hold bilateral meetings with fellow BRICS leaders and other invited representatives, aiming to strengthen partnerships and advance shared objectives. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs emphasised that the summit will offer a valuable opportunity to evaluate the progress of BRICS initiatives and identify new areas for future collaboration. Modi's visit to Russia follows an informal meeting with Putin in Moscow earlier this year and a call in August, where the Indian leader urged for a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. The upcoming summit highlights the growing <keyword id="23595115" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="geopolitical-significance" source="keywords">geopolitical significance</keyword> of BRICS in reshaping global dynamics. (With inputs from sources)

PM Modi to meet Putin and Xi Jinping at BRICS summit in Russia on October 22-23

<keyword id="21333142" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indias-population" source="keywords">India's population</keyword> is projected to peak in the early 2060s at about <keyword id="22386427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-7-billion" source="keywords">1.7 billion</keyword> and then decline by 12%, but the country will remain the world's most populous throughout the century, the <keyword id="19896118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="United-Nations" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="United Nations" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="United Nations">United Nations</keyword> has said. The World Population Prospects 2024 report, released on Thursday, said that the world's population is expected to continue growing over the coming 50-60 years, reaching a peak of around 10.3 billion people in the mid-2080s, significantly up from 8.2 billion in 2024. After peaking, the global population is projected to start declining gradually, falling to 10.2 billion people by the end of the century. India, which surpassed <keyword id="19894886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="China" source="keywords">China</keyword> as the world's most populous nation last year, will continue to hold that position through 2100. "The population of India, which is expected to remain the world's largest throughout the century, will likely decline by 12% after reaching its peak in the early 2060s at about 1.7 billion," the <keyword id="19898339" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UN" source="keywords">UN</keyword> report published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), <keyword id="271075" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="population-division" source="Orion">Population Division</keyword> said. According to the report, India's population in 2024 is projected at 1.45 billion and this will peak to 1.69 billion in 2054. After this, India's population is projected to decline to 1.5 billion by the end of the century in 2100, but the country will still remain the most populous nation on Earth. Responding to a question by PTI on population projections for India, Senior Population Affairs Officer, Population Division, <keyword id="6355835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="un" source="Orion">UN</keyword> DESA Clare Menozzi said at a press conference that "India is currently the largest country in the world in terms of population, and it is projected to stay so throughout the century. The population is currently estimated at 1.45 billion, and it's supposed to increase further to 1.69 billion. "It's supposed to peak around the 2060s in size and then it starts to slightly decline. So by the end of the century, India is projected to be around 1.5 billion, but will still the largest country in the world by a large margin." The report said that China's population, currently 1.41 billion in 2024, will fall to 1.21 billion in 2054 and further decline to 633 million by 2100. "It is anticipated that China, the country currently with the world's second-largest population, will likely experience the largest absolute population loss between 2024 and 2054 (204 million)," followed by <keyword id="6355311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japan" source="Orion">Japan</keyword> (21 million) and <keyword id="6358826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> (10 million). "Longer-range population projections are more uncertain" for China, it said. "However, due to its large size and sustained low level of fertility, China is also likely to record the largest population decline of any country through the end of the century (786 million people). By 2100, China is projected to have lost more than a half of its current population and to have returned to a population size comparable to that recorded in the late 1950s (50% probability)." Responding to a question on the significantly low population projection for China, Director of the Population Division at UN DESA John Wilmoth said that "it really relates to the level of fertility that's observed currently in China. The current number is right around one birth per woman on average over a lifetime." "Given that you need 2.1 births to maintain the current population without migration, if fertility levels remain at such a low level, even if they come up slightly, any fertility level if it's below two, or especially below 1.8 or below 1.5, you're really getting into low levels of fertility and it produces a long run decline that's quite significant. And that's true for China. It's true for some other countries in this analysis," Wilmoth said. Currently, nearly one-fifth of all countries and areas, including China, Italy, the Republic of Korea and Spain, are experiencing what is sometimes referred to as "ultra-low" fertility, with fewer than 1.4 live births per woman over a lifetime. The report added that the global fertility rate currently stands at 2.25 live births per woman, down from 3.31 births in 1990. "More than half of all countries and areas globally have fertility below the replacement level of 2.1 live births per woman. This is the level required for a population to maintain a constant size in the long run (without migration), with each generation being followed by another of roughly equal size," it said. Pakistan is projected to overtake the US as the third-largest country in the world, with a population of 389 million in 2054. Currently, the US is the third largest country in the world with a population of 345 million and in 2054, it will be the fourth largest with 384 million people. Pakistan will remain the third largest country in the world, with a population of 511 million people in 2100. The report said that the estimated likelihood that the world's population will peak within the current century is very high, with a probability of 80%, a major change in UN projections from a decade ago, when this probability was around 30%. The size of the world's population in 2100 is now expected to be 6%smaller - or about 700 million people fewer - than anticipated a decade ago. In about 126 countries and areas, the population is likely to continue growing through 2054, potentially reaching a peak later in the century or beyond 2100. This group includes several of the world's most populous countries: India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America. In 2023, the global number of deaths among children under age 5 fell below 5 million for the first time in recent history. However, 95% of such deaths took place in the 126 countries with populations that are still growing, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. The report added that globally, life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years in 2024, an increase of 8.4 years since 1995. Further reductions in mortality are projected to result in an average longevity of around 77.4 years globally in 2054. Since 2022, life expectancy has returned to levels observed before the emergence of the coronavirus disease in nearly all countries and areas. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth fell to 70.9 years, down from 72.6 in 2019. The report said that by 2080, persons aged 65 or older will outnumber children under 18. "By the late 2070s, the number of persons at ages 65 years and higher globally is projected to reach 2.2 billion, surpassing the number of children (under age 18). By the mid-2030s, it is projected that there will be 265 million persons aged 80 years or older, more than the number of infants (1 year of age or less)," it said.

India's population to peak in early 2060s to 1.7 billion before declining: UN

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia's Navy Day saw participation from India and China, bolstering Putin's anti-Western ties.</li><li>There was a notable absence of Russia's Black Sea Fleet at the parade, after losses to Ukraine.</li></ul>Russia's Navy Day saw warships from India and China join the celebrations as President Vladimir Putin sought to project the strength of his anti-Western alliance.China sent the Jiaozuo, a Type 052D destroyer, and India sent the Tabar, a stealth frigate, to the naval parade in St Petersburg on Sunday, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://t.me/MID_Russia/43624">according to Russia's foreign ministry</a>.Algeria also sent La Soummam, a training ship, the ministry said.<div type="image" title="Chinese navy destroyer Jiaozuo in St Petersburg, Russia to participate in the Navy parade in July 2024." height="667" width="1000" msid="112115940" hostid="261" sizebytes="68584"></div>According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-28-2024">the Washington DC-based Institute for the Study of War</a>, the gathering was meant "to showcase Russia's relations with a number of non-Western states as part of efforts to create a supposed Russian-led group of states to rally against the West."In total, representatives of 31 countries — including Cuba, Vietnam, Egypt, and Brazil — attended, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://aif.ru/politics/russia/ne-odna-na-prostorah-okeana-v-parade-vmf-prinyali-uchastie-druzya-rossii">according to Russian state-owned outlet Argumenty i Fakty</a>.The parade came amid ongoing efforts by the Kremlin to deepen ties with countries like India and China, which have sent warships to the Navy Day celebrations in previous years.<div type="image" title="Four children wave flags saying 'welcome back' in front of India's Tabar stealth frigate in Bombay, on 31 July 2004" height="500" width="1000" msid="112115942" hostid="261" sizebytes="51970"></div>Despite claiming not to support Russia's war in Ukraine, China has emerged as a major supplier of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/04/12/china-sending-russia-missile-and-drone-parts-for-ukraine-war-us-reportedly-warns/">dual-use parts</a> crucial to its war effort — the sort of support that the US government has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-says-china-giving-russia-support-behind-scenes-ukraine-war-2024-5">repeatedly called it out for</a>.The two countries have also long participated in joint military exercises and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/22/2003507411/-1/-1/0/DOD-ARCTIC-STRATEGY-2024.PDF">the Pentagon recently said</a> they are showing increasing willingness to collaborate in the Arctic.Even so, China and Russia's ties appear to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-and-russia-are-in-a-bad-marriage-that-the-west-shouldnt-try-to-break-up-2024-6">uneasy</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-china-putin-russia-frenemies-limits-power-sphere-influence-2024-7">opportunistic</a>, built more on a common desire to tamp down Western influence.Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">recent trip</a> to Russia to meet with Putin also appeared to signal an indifference to US disapproval from India.President Joe Biden has attempted to persuade Modi to take a harder line on Russia, but this has <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-biden-narendra-modi-india-82c9273cf3143cf16e9da23c3dd48170">largely failed</a>.<h3 id="ce577fa9-a485-44dd-a9e2-a3d031d664c7">A conspicuous absence</h3>While Russia's Navy Day celebrations typically involve all its main military port cities, this year's didn't include Sevastopol, the naval base in occupied Crimea that hosts Russia's Black Sea Fleet.Prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Sevastopol regularly featured in the parade despite <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5f1fce329a79479d6ddfc9ad">the objections</a> of Ukraine's government.But now it is an active hot-war zone under continual pressure from Ukrainian forces, and Russia has largely relocated the remains of the fleet to the safer port of Novorossiysk, on its own shores.Commentators were quick to point out Sevastopol's absence, with European Council on Foreign Relations chief Carl Bildt posting the following graphic to X, making plain the extent of the fleet's losses: Meanwhile, Putin devoted part of his speech on the day to warning the US that Russia would retaliate if it pressed ahead with recently announced plans to locate long-range missile systems in Germany by 2026.Putin said his forces will take "mirror measures" in response.

India and China joined Russia's Navy Day celebrations as Putin tries to project anti-Western group

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russian imports of goods from China surged in September.</li><li>A new trade agreement between Russia and China was finalized in late August.</li></ul>Russia's imports of goods from China increased sharply last month, a sign that Moscow is leaning more heavily on Beijing after the two countries affirmed their economic ties.China exported around 80 billion yuan worth of goods to Russia in the month of <a target="_blank" href="http://english.customs.gov.cn/Statics/2c024a8b-3aea-4f87-a405-046557ad558f.html">September</a>, a 9% increase from the 73 billion yuan worth of goods it exported the prior month, according to Chinese customs data published on Tuesday. That's larger than the increase recorded over the last several months, with Chinese exports to Russia rising 3% in <a target="_blank" class="" href="http://english.customs.gov.cn/Statics/21dcbdc9-a5c7-4ce5-8884-d45f6ab35488.html">August</a> and 1% in <a target="_blank" class="" href="http://english.customs.gov.cn/Statics/672cd557-3c4e-48bb-8e7c-40cc02a20c7e.html">July</a>.The surge of trading activity follows a fresh <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/21/europe/china-li-qiang-russia-belarus-trip-intl-hnk/index.html">cooperation agreement</a> Russia and China finalized in late August, which vowed, among other things, to deepen trade ties. The deal reaffirmed the "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-war-putin-china-trade-partnership-economy-moscow-beijing-2024-4">no limits</a>" <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/moscow-beijing-partnership-has-no-limits-2022-02-04/">partnership</a> Moscow and Bejing have sought to expand since 2022, which took both country's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-russia-trade-record-ukraine-war-xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-2024-1">trade with one another to a fresh record</a> last year."Our trade relations are not only developing but flourishing, thanks in part to the efforts of our Chinese friends," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with China's premier, Li Qiang, per a Kremlin <a target="_blank" href="http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/74910">transcript</a> of the event. "The attention and commitment shown by both governments towards the development of trade and economic relations have yielded positive results."Total trade between Russia and China notched 1.28 trillion yuan from the start of the year through September, up 3.5% from the same period last year, customs data shows.Moscow has grown more reliant on Beijing as an economic partner since being targeted by Western sanctions in 2022. Trade restrictions from the West have pushed Russia into an increasingly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-ukraine-war-putin-moscow-budget-isolation-west-sanctions-2023-12">isolated position</a> in global markets, economists say, with countries like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-russia-china-barter-trade-us-secondary-sanctions-payments-2024-8">China</a> and India among the nation's small circle of major trading partners.Russia's trade with China has stumbled recently, however, due to payment issues abroad. In August, most Chinese banks were reportedly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-all-china-banks-refuse-yuan-ruble-transfers-sanctions-2024-8">refusing to process payments from Russia</a> after the US threatened to impose secondary sanctions on institutions helping Russia continue to do business and fund its war in Ukraine.

Russia's imports from China surged in September as Moscow and Beijing deepen economic ties  

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The West's sanctions are pushing Russia to develop alternative payment systems with its trade partners.</li><li>Russia's SPFS and Mir systems, China's CIPS, and India's UPI help aim to challenge SWIFT's dominance.</li></ul>The West's tightening sanctions are driving Russia nearly up against the wall — but <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-how-moscow-pays-war-economy-afloat-sanctions-ukraine-2024-2">Moscow keeps finding ways</a> to keep the country's economy going.Russia's trade partners, too, are looking for ways to continue doing business with the country via alternative systems to rival the Western-led, US dollar-dominated global financial order.Discussions about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/de-dollarization-reasons-why-countries-move-away-us-dollar-2023-7">de-dollarization</a> have been gaining traction in recent years as Western-led sanctions against Russia related to its invasion of Ukraine are making other countries wary of the potential consequences of crossing Washington.There's been some success, with trade between Russia and China, as well as Russia and India, chugging along until recently. Now, even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-all-china-banks-refuse-yuan-ruble-transfers-sanctions-2024-8">Chinese banks</a> — buckling under the pressure of tightening US sanctions — are pushing back on processing transactions for Russian companies.But Russia and its partners have been looking at other ways to do business outside the Western-led order, in part because technology is making it easier to process payments and get around the US-dollar-dominated global financial order.As <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-changing-role-of-the-us-dollar/">Brookings researchers</a> Sam Boocker and David Wessel explained in an August post, "innovations in payment technology could reduce the dollar's role in the global economy."To be sure, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/king-dollar-reign-supreme-3-reasons-dedollarization-fears-yuan-euro-2023-5">king dollar</a> is entrenched in the world's financial system, so it's unlikely to be dethroned, most experts say. However, new platforms are coming up that could chip away at its dominance.These are some of the alternative trading and payment systems that are trying to crack the US-led trade and payments order:<h2 id="e3db2e40-91e6-40ce-8ea6-bd2555a945d0">Russia set up SPFS and Mir years ago, citing 'risks'</h2>Russia prepared for even more sanctions years ago, following trade restrictions after it annexed Crimea in 2014."There are risks in using the global financial networks," Elvira Nabiullina, governor of Russia's central bank, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/russias-central-bank-governor-touts-moscow-alternative-to-swift-transfer-system-as-protection-from-us-sanctions.html">CNBC in 2018.</a> "Therefore, since back in 2014, we have been developing our own systems."Some Russian banks were banned from the SWIFT messaging system for banking transactions following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has been touting its homegrown ruble-based payment system — the System for Transfer of Financial Messages, or SPFS — that was set up in 2014.<div type="image" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina" height="3605" width="5408" msid="112978409" hostid="261" sizebytes="1587422"></div>At the end of 2023, users of SPFS included 556 organizations from 20 countries. Of these, 159 — about a quarter of total participants — were foreign and their use of the messaging system more than doubled from 2022, according to Russia's central bank, per <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/103040/">Interfax</a>.In July, Russia and Iran — another heavily-sanctioned country — finalized details to connect the banking systems of the two countries, Iran's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://en.mehrnews.com/news/217372/Iran-Russia-finalize-integration-of-national-payment-systems">Mehr news agency</a> reported.This means that Russia's Mir payment system would work with Iran's Shetab banking system, allowing for both pariah states to trade more smoothly.<h2 id="dc8236fe-da57-4f21-8a5f-0a2f6f46c77a">China's CIPS is growing quickly</h2>China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, or CIPS, is an alternative system that processes payments in Chinese yuan.Launched in 2015, CIPS has about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cips.com.cn/en/2024-08/01/article_2024080115043180408.html">2,000 participants as of July,</a> compared to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.swift.com/about-us">11,000 for SWIFT.</a>CIPS "has been growing rapidly in recent years," the Brookings researchers wrote.In 2023, CIPS processed over 6.6 million transactions, totaling 123 trillion Chinese yuan, or $17.3 trillion — up nearly 30% by value from a year ago, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="http://www.pbc.gov.cn/en/3688110/3688172/5188125/5327700/2024041216580199504.pdf">China's central bank.</a><h2 id="a578a224-e5df-4b31-8404-e02cff739d93">India's UPI is already used extensively</h2>India — now a key trading part of Russia — also has its own system.The country's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npci.org.in/what-we-do/upi/product-overview">Unified Payments Interface,</a> or UPI, was developed in 2016 and is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/29/tech/india-digital-payments-upi-growth-hnk-intl/index.html">used extensively</a> in India today, even among everyday consumers.The payment system has gotten so big that it's not just limited to India. The National Payments Corporation of India, which runs the platform, has partnered with financial institutions in other countries, including France, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore.<div type="image" title="A man behind piles of fruits at his stall in India that features a QR payment code." height="701" width="1024" msid="112978412" hostid="261" sizebytes="98408"></div>If the UPI's footprint expands to more countries, it could be a way to bypass the SWIFT banking system, wrote Evan Freidin, an international relations analyst, for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/india-s-plan-world-without-cash">Lowy Institute,</a> an Australian think tank."It is significant that UPI can also be used to bypass the SWIFT banking system, enabling payments with sanctioned countries such as Russia, thereby weakening US financial hegemony," Freidin wrote in July.<h2 id="48c27799-0d46-40f6-b4b7-e9225b102131">Central banks are looking at digital currencies</h2>Countries are also increasingly looking to build central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs. These currencies are similar to cryptocurrencies but are <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/cbdcs-how-different-cryptocurrency-stablecoin/">issued and backed by central banks</a>.The <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/cbdcs-crypto-central-banks-bis-digital-currencies-bitcoin-stablecoins-tether-2021-9">Bank for International Settlements,</a> an organization of central banks, is overseeing the trial of a CBDC platform for wholesale cross-border payment.Participants of the project, called <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/saudi-arabia-joins-bis-led-central-bank-digital-currency-trial-2024-06-05/">mBridge,</a> include China, Hong Kong, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. It's dominated by Beijing, which has already rolled out the digital Chinese yuan.<div type="image" title="Woman with a face mask using a touch screen at an exhibition booth for the e-renminbi." height="746" width="1024" msid="112978411" hostid="261" sizebytes="54016"></div>The Brookings researchers wrote that these CBDCs could "upend the dollar's role as a currency 'middleman' by reducing settlement times, making it cheaper and easier to trade non-dollar currencies."The CBDCs integrate messaging and payments, unlike current systems like SWIFT and major US dollar clearing system CHIPS.<h2 id="67caf2a1-65f8-470a-8a88-3f2e381242e9">Russia rushes into crypto</h2>As doors to transact in fiat money close, Russia is now looking to trade in cryptocurrencies.It's in such a rush to get the system up and running that it plans to start crypto exchange trials as soon as September 1, anonymous sources told <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-26/russia-close-to-starting-trials-of-crypto-payments-exchanges?srnd=homepage-americas">Bloomberg in late August.</a>Creating this mode of payment has gotten more pressing because even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-all-china-banks-refuse-yuan-ruble-transfers-sanctions-2024-8">banks from China</a> are rejecting most transactions with Russian entities.<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/74566">Russian President Vladimir Putin</a> himself said in July that Russia had to <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://tass.com/economy/1818055">"seize the moment"</a> to create a legal framework for digital assets, as they are being increasingly used to settle international payments.<h2 id="15b13f44-3051-4887-85cf-66563ce70c10">Going back to barter trade</h2>If all else fails, there's also the age-old method of barter trade.In August, <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/first-russia-china-barter-trade-may-come-this-autumn-sources-say-2024-08-08/">Reuters</a> reported that Russia and China are planning to revive the practice of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-russia-china-barter-trade-us-secondary-sanctions-payments-2024-8">barter trade</a> to get around Western sanctions.The deals could involve agriculture and could come as soon as this fall, the news agency reported, citing anonymous trade and payments sources.The two countries are no strangers to barter.It was practiced during the <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.joc.com/maritime-news/soviet-union-allows-return-barter-some-trading-deals-partners-former-e-bloc_19910708.html">Soviet era</a> and <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/06/world/as-ruble-withers-russians-survive-on-barter.html">in the years following the bloc's collapse.</a> At the time, China was a key trading partner.In August 2022, the <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-import-russia-oil-barter-exchange-afghanistan-raisin-minerals-medicine-2022-8">Taliban regime in Afghanistan</a> also discussed barter trade with Russia that could involve trading Russian crude oil products in exchange for raisins, minerals, and medicinal herbs, according to RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news agency.Last year, cash-strapped <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-allows-barter-trade-with-iran-afghanistan-russia-/7120806.html">Pakistan</a> authorized the barter trade of specific goods with Russia.In 2019, China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/markets/currencies/china-in-barter-deal-for-200000-tonnes-of-malaysian-palm-oil-report-idUSKCN1T22W0/">traded $150 million worth of palm oil</a> from Malaysia for a range of products and services, including natural resources and defense equipment.

Countries from Russia to China are building payments systems that could threaten the dollar's global dominance

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are meeting in Kazakhstan Wednesday. </li><li>It comes amid increasing tensions between two of the group's most powerful members. </li></ul>The leaders of a club of countries touted by Russia and China as a counterweight to Western global power are meeting this week in Kazakhstan.At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, Russia's President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet China's President Xi Jinping.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-arrives-kazakhstan-russia-china-dominated-sco-summit-2024-07-03/">During their discussion, they will reportedly </a>seek ways to expand the organization as part of their shared mission to roll back US global power.But despite their "no limits" partnership brokered over shared enmity toward the US and its NATO allies, there are growing differences between frenemies Putin and Xi.<h2 id="0cd26d3b-51d1-4175-99ae-48c549e8681e">Ukraine has shifted the balance of power</h2>The leaders are in fierce competition for influence over the original members of the SCO — the Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.The SCO was formed as a regional security pact, but has in recent years expanded to include India, Pakistan, and Iran. Belarus, another opponent of NATO, is expected to be admitted this week.The Central Asian republics were formerly part of the Soviet Union and are seen as traditionally part of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.But the Ukraine war has shifted the balance of power.Russia's Ukraine invasion has eaten up the Kremlin's resources, money, and energy, while countries trading with Russia run the risk of incurring Western sanctions.Meanwhile, Beijing has been quietly seizing advantage, brokering trade deals, and building political influence in the region."The war in Ukraine has proven to the central Asian countries that the diversification of their ties with the world is key to their successful existence in the region," Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/03/xi-jinping-central-asia-trip-china-vies-regional-influence-russia">told The Guardian.</a>China is building car plants and power stations in Ukbekistan and Kazakhstan, brokering surveillance software deals, and expanding its direct railway line into Kazakhstan, to further strengthen trade links.Trade between China and Central Asia grew by 27% in 2023 to $89 billion, <a target="_blank" href="https://eurasianet.org/china-reports-robust-trade-growth-with-central-asian-states">according to Chinese customs data.</a>Although Russia is likely to be concerned by the developments, it cannot do much about them.<h2 id="70abeace-ebc2-43fc-a254-07ca4ddc7271">A lopsided partnership</h2>Russia has become increasingly dependent on China for diplomatic and economic support amid attempts by the West to isolate it over the Ukraine war."The importance of Chinese aid and indirect support for Ukraine takes precedence for Moscow and will shape its approach toward Beijing as long as the confrontation with the West continues," wrote Emil Avdaliani, a professor of international relations at European University in Tbilisi, in January for <a target="_blank" href="https://cepa.org/article/china-uses-crises-to-build-central-asia-influence/">the Centre for European Policy Analysis.</a>Russia is seeking to strengthen trade with the Central Asian republics and, according to reports, is using them to obtain goods banned under Western sanctions. But it can't compete with China's economic might.While Russia has brandished its ties with China as proof of the failure of the West to isolate it, it's a friendship that comes at a steep cost."We are friends with Russia but at the same time, we are looking for opportunities," Mirshohid Aslanov, founder of the Tashkent-based think tank Center for Progressive Reform, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/beijing-and-moscow-go-from-no-limits-friendship-to-frenemies-in-russias-backyard-52b3f1a4?st=4s1fan3skw96t37&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink">The Wall Street Journal.</a> "Very eagerly, we are looking eastwards."

Russia's frenemy China is quietly trying to dampen Putin's influence

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian Prime Minister Modi gave Russian President Putin a bear hug during an official visit to Moscow.</li><li>Modi's visit coincided with a Russian missile strike that hit a Ukrainian children's hospital and ahead of a NATO summit.</li></ul>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made Russia the destination of his first bilateral visit after securing a historic third term in office. On top of that, he gave <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fear-china-behind-india-modi-display-of-friendship-russia-putin-2024-7">Russian President Vladimir Putin a bear hug</a> while he was there.The spectacle involving the two leaders came on the same day Russia hit a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-challenge-russian-narrative-on-kyiv-childrens-hospital-attack-2024-7">Ukrainian children's hospital with a missile strike</a> and ahead of a three-day NATO leaders' summit in Washington DC that started on Tuesday."It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1810437647581716707">post on X on Monday.</a>On Monday, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-july-8-2024/">US State Department</a> said it has raised concerns with New Delhi about India's relationship with Russia.Modi's advances toward Putin come less than two months after the usually reserved Chinese leader <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/hugs-not-full-socialist-era-kiss-putin-xi-beijing-2024-05-17/">Xi Jinping hugged Putin</a> not once, but twice — dealing another blow to the West's isolation of Russia.<h2 id="390a51d2-9be0-469a-acc9-c9f006ae04ff">What India wants from Russia</h2>Like Xi, Modi has his own agenda for cozying up to Putin during the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">two-day visit.</a>India is an important strategic partner for the US and the rest of the world, which is aiming to diversify supply chains away from China.Over the last two years, India-Russia trade has grown. The relationship is underscored by energy, as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-divert-oil-exports-europe-india-china-circumvent-sanctions-2023-12">India has become a major buyer of Russian oil</a>.But there's a huge trade imbalance that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">Modi is seeking to narrow.</a> India imported about $60 billion of goods a year from Russia in the last fiscal year. In comparison, Russia bought less than $5 billion of goods from India."The structure of trade is highly asymmetric, with India running a chronic large trade deficit with Russia," Rajiv Biswas, an international economist who's also the author of "<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored noindex" class="" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=bi-auto-70656-20&amp;h=2252c62746e53e506c655ce3df395bcea3ecbee5e1b11653f5e13361d3be9338&amp;postID=668deb6674bca98bb4de2ad6&amp;postSlug=russia-economy-india-modi-putin-hug-west-isolation-big-blow-2024-7&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAsian-Megatrends-Rajiv-Biswas%2Fdp%2F1137441887">Asian Megatrends</a>," told Business Insider.To be sure, Russia's import of Indian products — particularly engineering and electronic equipment — has surged by 35% over the last fiscal year, added Biswas. But, it's from a low base.<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-india-modi-putin-fe2b1d0abbb3e67e6f3ff88f02ce658c">Vinay Kwatra,</a> India's Foreign Secretary, said after Modi and Putin's meeting that the two have pledged to boost bilateral trade from nearly $65 billion last year to $100 billion by 2030.In addition to oil, India is looking to import more fertilizers. Russia is looking to import more Indian agricultural and industrial products.On the political front, India — which has been mired in a <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-border-clashes-could-cause-more-indian-ocean-activity-2020-7">border dispute with China since 2020</a> — is also looking to leverage on Beijing's cozy relationship with Moscow."Security is an increasingly important factor driving India's relations with Russia," said Biswas."Due to Russia's close ties with China, India can turn to Russia to help defuse crises when bilateral geopolitical tensions flare up between India and China," he added.After all, Putin chose to head to China — rather than to India — in his first foreign state visit in May after he was sworn in for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-vladimir-putin-presidential-election-vote-landslide-win-2024-3">fifth presidential term.</a>Xi definitely welcomed Putin; after all, the Chinese leader initiated the hug.

The West's attempts at isolating Russia just took another big blow

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's Xi Jinping negotiated a truce with India's leader, Narendra Modi.</li><li>They agreed to a patrolling arrangement on a disputed Himalayan border.</li></ul>At the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-hosts-brics-summit-defy-west-us-economy-china-dollar-2024-10">BRICS summit</a> in Russia this week, China's leader Xi Jinping and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shook hands for the first time in five years.The symbolic moment came after a deal was struck to resolve a long-standing feud between the Asian superpowers.In the lead-up to the summit, the countries announced they had reached a patrolling agreement that would reduce tensions along a disputed <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-buying-new-light-tanks-for-himalayan-mountain-warfare-2023-6">Himalayan border.</a>The dispute had led to deadly hand-to-hand combat in recent years, taking the lives of 20 Indian troops and at least four Chinese soldiers.After their meeting at the summit hosted by Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Xi and Modi said they would continue discussions on resolving the issue.<h2 id="997cee52-7fd6-4283-bf77-94e40a12b5cc">A setback for the US</h2>Some analysts believe it is a development that's unlikely to be welcomed in Washington, DC.The US has sought to recruit India to help it contain China's growing regional aggression alongside other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a security pact that also includes Japan and Australia."So definitely, this is a setback for the United States of America's Indo-Pacific outlook, given the kind of rapprochement we are seeing in India-China relations, and particularly India, China and Russia coming together," Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs, told Business Insider."Putin, Xi, and Modi meeting definitely signals that there is a kind of understanding under the carpet that has happened, which is quite subtle," he said.It's an assessment echoed by Zhiqun Zhu, professor of political science and international affairs at Bucknell University."The thaw in India-China relations is a boon to both countries. This is particularly significant for China because India may now be less inclined to confront Beijing as part of Quad," Zhu told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/india-china-deal-raises-questions-about-us-indo-pacific-strategy-/7838623.html">Voice of America. </a>"In this sense, the effectiveness of Quad would be diluted with a less enthusiastic India."<h2 id="baf534cf-4366-41b8-b9ef-d526ffe91fda">Competition between Asia's rival powers intensifies</h2>Tensions have been building between China and India for years.As the two biggest economies in Asia, the countries have long jostled for regional power, with the dispute over the Himalayan border a flashpoint that led to clashes in 2020, 2021, and 2022.Amid the stand-off, Chinese vessels have reportedly surveilled the Indian Ocean in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/another-chinese-research-vessel-spotted-off-india-fuelling-unease-2024-03-11/">what experts told Reuters</a> was a likely intelligence-gathering operation, while India has strengthened its security ties with China's chief global rival, the US.In 2017 India played a key role in restarting the Quad, an alliance designed as a bulwark against growing Chinese influence and aggression in the Asia-Pacific region.But India has long sought to balance its relationship with rival superpowers the US and China, and does not at this point want to tie itself too closely to either side, say analysts.In addition to being a member of the Quad Alliance, it is a founding member of the BRICS, an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-asia-countries-flaunt-russia-putin-diplomacy-relationship-brics-2024-9">association of non-Western economies </a>that China has sought to transform into an alternative global economic power base to the US.<div type="image" title="India-China border" height="683" width="1024" msid="114594056" hostid="261" sizebytes="158650"></div>"This explains why it remains part of multilateral groupings with contradictory goals," said Praveen Donthi, a South Asia analyst with the Eurasia Group in Washington, DC, pointing to both its membership of the US-aligned Quad and China-dominated BRIC group.The truce comes with China on the back foot diplomatically, said Panda, pointing to its damaged relations with Europe and the US after its support f<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-and-china-anti-us-coalition-is-growing-more-threatening-2024-9">or Russia's invasion of Ukraine.</a>"One could draw a conclusion at this point that probably the Chinese are more interested to rebuild the ties with India than the other way round," said Panda.He said there's also the possibility that Xi has reached an agreement with Modi behind the scenes for India to remain silent if China acts on its longstanding ambition to seize back control of Taiwan.Such a move would likely draw in the US and its other regional allies, who have pledged to help defend<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-taiwan-drone-swarms-uav-us-playing-catch-up-production-2024-10"> Taiwan's independence.</a>"I think China's bigger ambition and target is the Taiwan issue, and therefore they would not really like to continue the kind of tensions they were engaged in with India for the last three to four years," he said."Therefore, they would like to rebuild, and they would like to ensure that India does not react to the Taiwan issue so sensitively."In any case, its a setback in US attempts to include India in a deeper security alliance, he said."For a long time, the US has tried to develop security and defense ties with India," said Panda.For the time being, a truce suits both Russian and Chinese interests, Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, said. But, he added, tensions remain.He said that though both parties have opened discussions about the border dispute, the underlying problem remains unresolved, and future flare-ups are likely.Donthi said the progress between the leaders could also be derailed if tensions between the US and China increase."This comes as a relief after four years of eyeball-to-eyeball troop deployment in the Himalayas. However, it's only the beginning," he said.

Xi undercut the West by negotiating a truce in China's long feud with India

India remains highly dependent on imports for minerals critical to accelerating its <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword>, with a full reliance on shipping in lithium, cobalt and nickel, according to a report released Monday. The report, published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said that India's demand for <keyword id="19978839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="critical-minerals" source="keywords">critical minerals</keyword> is expected to more than double by 2030, while domestic mining operations may take over a decade to start producing. It stresses that India needs a carefully crafted import strategy to mitigate potential trade risks while balancing international relationships to secure these essential minerals. IEEFA's report examines five critical minerals (and their compounds) - cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium and nickel - from the perspectives of import dependency, trade dynamics, domestic availability, and global price fluctuations. The findings show that India remains largely import-dependent for these minerals and their compounds, with 100 per cent import reliance for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. "India should strive to de-risk its critical minerals sourcing by identifying new international resources and expediting <keyword id="20681115" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-production" source="keywords">domestic production</keyword>. A concerted effort to partner with and foster bilateral relations with <keyword id="23713985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mineral-rich-nations" source="keywords">mineral-rich nations</keyword> should be a priority for India," said the report's co-author Charith Konda, Energy Specialist, IEEFA. "The country can also explore investment opportunities in resource-rich, friendly nations, such as Australia and Chile, as well as African countries like Ghana and South Africa," he added. The report said India depends heavily on China for synthetic graphite and natural graphite and it should explore cooperation initiatives with countries like Mozambique, Madagascar, Brazil and Tanzania which are some of the highest graphite producing countries. "As part of the Global South cooperation initiatives, these countries could be favourable partners for India for <keyword id="23713984" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="graphite-trading" source="keywords">graphite trading</keyword>," said the report's co-author Kaira Rakheja, Energy Analyst, IEEFA. India is also highly import-dependent for copper cathodes and nickel sulphates from just two countries - Japan and Belgium. The report suggests India could look at the US, the fifth largest producer of copper in the world, to diversify its suppliers and enhance <keyword id="23714709" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supply-security" source="keywords">supply security</keyword>. For minerals like lithium oxide and nickel oxide, the dependency is low on one country, but overall imports largely come from Russia and China, both countries with potential trade risks. "Developing domestic lithium refining capacity will help India integrate with the global lithium supply chain," said Rakheja. The report also notes the significant efforts that the Indian government is making to improve domestic production of critical minerals with the auctions by the Ministry of Mines and the planned Critical Minerals Mission. "The critical minerals mining block auctions can serve as an opportunity for India to focus on building refining and processing capabilities to emerge as a global value-adding hub," said Rakheja. "Government support in the form of viability gap funding and technology development will help promote such auctions and ultimately the domestic production of critical minerals. "A stable supply of critical minerals is imperative for India to achieve its <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> goals," Konda said. India has committed to achieving 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel-based electricity installed capacity by 2030. Currently, the country's renewable energy installed capacity stands at 201 GW, with solar energy accounting for 91 GW. According to another study, the fast-developing South Asian nation needs to install around 7,000 GW of renewable energy capacity to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

Energy transition: India remains highly dependent on imports of critical minerals, says report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia's oil revenue soared by 90% in April compared to the previous year, Bloomberg reported. </li><li>The rise comes as sanctions have struggled to curb Russian energy flows since the war in Ukraine began. </li></ul>The major funding sources for Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine — the country's oil and gas revenues —doubled in April despite sanctions. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-06/russia-s-budget-is-getting-twice-as-much-oil-money-as-a-year-ago?srnd=markets-vp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg reported on Monday</a> that total oil and gas revenues in April jumped by 90% compared to a year earlier, reaching 1.23 trillion rubles ($13.5 billion). That sent the Kremlin's energy-related taxes soaring to 1.053 trillion rubles ($11.5 billion), marking a 111.9% leap from April 2023.Russia's Federal Tax Service data reveals that the budget revenue spike was pegged to the Urals crude price of $70.34 per barrel, a significant jump from $48.67 a year ago when the G-7 countries had first imposed a price cap of $60 a barrel on Moscow's oil exports. Meanwhile, the increase in energy revenue was also driven by a weaker domestic currency, with the exchange rate of rubles per dollar declining by 20.5% compared to the previous year, Bloomberg said, citing data from Russia's tax service. Bloomberg Economics notes that Russia's robust revenue growth amid sanctions stems from strong global demand, low supplies driven by geopolitical risks, newly established export infrastructure in Russia, and the country's strict control over exporters' cash flows.Bloomberg data also indicates Moscow will see approximately $126 billion in oil and gas tax revenue in 2024. Bloomberg Economics noted that these figures are "just slightly above the current government's projections."Moscow's military aggression in Ukraine has shown no signs of winding down as the war drags on through its third year and sanctions looks to cripple Moscow's ability to keep funding the invasion. Putin's Russia has devised multiple strategies to bypass Western restrictions, including cultivating export ties with nations like<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-building-trade-route-train-rail-india-iran-2024-3"> China, India, and those in the Persian Gulf</a>.China, a longstanding partner, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-russia-iran-economy-outlook-help-assistance-western-sanctions-oil-2024-3">has been aiding Russia in avoiding sanctions</a> by facilitating Moscow's "dark fleet" of crude tankers, which circumvent international maritime rules through covert maneuvers, and also by supporting Renminbi trading between the two countries. That said, Bloomberg reported that April's oil and gas revenue to Russia's budget still dropped by about 6.4% compared to March, primarily due to substantial subsidies to the nation's fuel producers.

You Searched For "India Russia relations" and got 10 results

PM Modi to meet Putin and Xi Jinping at BRICS summit in Russia on October 22-23

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Countries from Russia to China are building payments systems that could threaten the dollar's global dominance

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Russia's frenemy China is quietly trying to dampen Putin's influence

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The West's attempts at isolating Russia just took another big blow

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Xi undercut the West by negotiating a truce in China's long feud with India

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Energy transition: India remains highly dependent on imports of critical minerals, says report

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Russia saw its oil revenue double in April despite Western sanctions

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