Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a high-level telephone conversation reviewing the India-Germany Strategic Partnership as both nations marked 75 years of diplomatic relations. Both leaders reaffirmed commitments to strengthen collaboration across key sectors including advanced technologies, clean energy, defence, trade, investment, and talent mobility. Simultaneously, New Delhi prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit, where behind-the-scenes bilateral talks will play a crucial role in India’s global balancing act. High-profile side meetings between Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will focus on energy security and military-technological cooperation, including talks on Su-57 fighter jets. Additionally, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to India since 2019 presents an opportunity to address long-standing border tensions, regulatory hurdles, and trade barriers. These bilateral discussions take place amid heightened West Asia conflict and disruptions along the Strait of Hormuz, challenging the expanded 11-member bloc to build consensus on global economic governance and energy security.