FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 14 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Friday, 11 September 2026 Modi, Putin to meet ahead of BRICS CM Adhikari lashes out at Beijing confirms Xi Jinping to ‘anti-national’ activities at JU visit India for BRICS Summit NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 10 September P rime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi on Friday, with the two leaders likely to review progress in bilateral cooperation across key areas, including trade, economic cooperation, defence and energy, besides exchanging views on ongoing global issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region. The talks will be held a day ahead of the commencement of the 18th BRICS Summit, which will be held on 12-13 September at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi with the theme, “Building for Resilience,Innovation,Cooperation and Sustainability.” With world leaders starting to arrive in India ahead of the much-anticipated BRICS Summit over the weekend, three Russian transport aircraft were spotted touching down at the Noida STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 10 September ASHOK TUTEJA New Delhi, 10 September International Airport. Their arrival comes as Mr Putin is set to arrive on Friday in New Delhi to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit. Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov detailed the expectations for the high-level engagement, confirming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with the Russian leader on 11 September. Speaking to reporters via a virtual briefing from Moscow, Mr Peskov said: “We’re looking forward to the President and PM having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled. It is scheduled for Friday, so first, like always, they will touch on the bilateral agenda. Trade and economic cooperation is a very wide scope.” Lifting the suspense, China on Thursday announced that President Xi Jinping will visit India for the 18th BRICS Summit to be held in New Delhi on 12-13 September, marking his first trip to the country in seven years. ‘’At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from 12 to 13 September,’’ the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson wrote on X. The visit takes place days after PM Modi and President Xi met at the SCO Summit in Bishkek. The visit will also provide the two leaders an opportunity to hold bilateral talks on a range of issues, including the complex boundary dispute and trade and economic cooperation, on the margins of the summit. Indications are that their bilateral meeting will be held on Saturday. The Chinese leader is expected to be accompanied by a large delegation comprising Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and other top leaders. President Xi last visited India in October 2019 for an informal summit with PM Modi at Mamallapuram near Chennai. But the India-Chins détente was shattered after Chinese PLA troops attempted to cross the LAC at multiple points in eastern Ladakh, leading to a tense military stand-off between the two countries. Tensions reached a crescendo in June 2020 when the troops on the two sides were involved in hand-to-hand combat at the Galwan Valley. At least 20 Indian troops were killed in these clashes while China confirmed four casualties on its side. The incident brought the two countries to the brink of a full-fledged war. Since October 2024, the two countries have been reducing the massive build-up on the border under mutually agreed terms. It is debatable whether President Xi’s visit marks a thaw in bilateral ties but it appears that both countries are working toward normalising bilateral ties keeping in mind the volatile global environment. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched an unprecedented attack on the CPI-M, the Left Front and Jadavpur University andthe Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) over alleged “anti-national” activities at Jadavpur University, asserting that hisgovernment would not allow the premier institution to become a platform foractivities against the country or Indian culture. Speakingduring the discussion on the West Bengal Universities and Colleges Administration and Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, in the special session of the state Assembly, Mr Adhikari trained his guns on a section of Left-leaningteachers and students at Jadavpur University and the Jadavpur UniversityTeachers’ Association. Referring to the proposed legislation, the Chief Minister said Jadavpur University, which he described as an institution associated with Sri Aurobindo, was being sought to be developed as a “centre of excellence”. “TheCentre would provide Rs 1,000 crore for the purpose while the state government would contribute another Rs 300 crore. But in that university, you will takestudents out forcibly and say ‘Kashmir mange azaadi’ (Kashmir wants freedom)and ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ (India will be broken into pieces). These things will not be allowed,” Mr Adhikari said. He also took aim at slogans and glorification associated with Maoist leader Kishenji. “You say ‘Red salute Comrade Kishenji’. He killed 1,000 innocent people and 30 innocent jawans in Silda camp. These Maoists planned to create a new country. Someone will glorify them ~ this government will not allow it,” he said. Mr Adhikari accused a section of professors of selectively targeting peoplewith nationalist views while using their left-wing identity tochallenge the elected state and central governments. “Essentially,in Jadavpur, a small section, wearing the garb of the Left, has become anti-national and antieducation. They have challenged the constitutionally elected state and central governments. This law was necessary to bring discipline,” he said. Mr Adhikari also issued a warning to JUTA members, saying the government was aware of their past activities. “We have the entire history of what the people of JUTA have done, when and where they played what role,” he said, referring to the organisation’s opposition to the legislation.