PM Modi greets BRICS leaders against Tamil Nadu's Ramanathaswamy temple backdrop

Tamil Nadu found a prominent place in Brics summit for the second day in a row on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming world leaders at Bharat Mandapam against the backdrop of the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram.

This came a day after PM Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the 'Thirukkural', bringing another Tamil cultural reference into the high-profile diplomatic engagements around the 18th Brics summit being held in the national capital.

PM Modi received Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other leaders ahead of the summit.

During Xi's welcome, PM Modi was seen briefly explaining the significance of the Ramanathaswamy Temple backdrop to the Chinese President. The temple, located on Pamban Island in Rameswaram, is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and among the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in the country.

Known for its long corridors, distinctive architecture and association with the 'Ramayana', the temple is also one of Tamil Nadu’s best-known religious and cultural landmarks. India is hosting the 18th Brics summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 amid the West Asia crisis.

India’s chairship of the 18th Brics summit is centred on the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting New Delhi’s focus on development, sustainability, technology and stronger institutions. Since assuming the Brics chairship for 2026, India has prioritised sustainable growth, climate action, innovation and deeper cooperation among developing countries, while seeking to give greater voice to the aspirations of the Global South.