Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a major diplomatic outreach beginning May 15, combining a five-nation visit to Europe and West Asia with high-level multilateral engagements in New Delhi, as India seeks to expand its strategic footprint amid heightened global geopolitical activity.
The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed the visit, which follows a series of significant diplomatic arrivals in the capital. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit India for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled from May 14 to 15—his first visit to India since the recent escalation in West Asia. The visit carries added diplomatic weight as it comes ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s expected visit to India later this month.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected in New Delhi for the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, the meeting will focus on key global issues and strengthening cooperation among emerging economies, with preparations for the upcoming BRICS Summit later this year in New Delhi also on the agenda.
India assumed the BRICS Chair from Brazil on January 1, 2026—the fourth time India has led the grouping, which now comprises 11 members, including Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, following its significant expansion in 2024.
Following the multilateral engagements in New Delhi, PM Modi will undertake a five-nation visit from May 15 to 20, covering the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
The tour begins in Abu Dhabi, where discussions are expected to focus on energy security, trade and investment cooperation. The UAE remains a key strategic partner for India, particularly in the energy sector. In the Netherlands, PM Modi will meet King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Rob Jetten, with cooperation in technology, semiconductors and green energy on the agenda.
The visit will then move to Sweden and Norway, where India will participate in the India-Nordic Summit, with bilateral meetings expected to focus on clean energy, innovation and the blue economy. The final leg of the tour will take PM Modi to Italy, where talks are expected to focus on advancing the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and enhancing cooperation in defence and economic sectors.