India hosts the two-day BRICS summit on September 12-13, with leaders set to discuss global governance, trade, energy security, technology and other pressing international issues
New Delhi: The world’s attention is on New Delhi as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host leaders of the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, making the summit particularly significant from a geopolitical and diplomatic perspective.
The 11 BRICS member countries are Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Together, they account for around 49.5% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade, according to the Indian government.
India is holding the BRICS chairmanship for the fourth time in 2026. The country’s chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with a broader focus on a people-centric approach under the vision of “Humanity First.”
Key Issues on the BRICS Agenda
The two-day summit is expected to focus on some of the most pressing global and regional challenges. Discussions will cover global governance, strengthening multilateralism, food and energy security, trade and investment, technology, sustainable development and resilience in critical supply chains.
Leaders are also expected to exchange views on ongoing geopolitical conflicts and ways to strengthen cooperation among BRICS countries.
The summit’s opening session is focused on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism”, reflecting India’s push for greater representation of emerging and developing economies in global decision-making institutions.
Modi, Putin and Xi in Focus
The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin has added a major geopolitical dimension to the summit.
Putin arrived in New Delhi ahead of the summit and held talks with Modi on bilateral cooperation in areas including trade, defence, energy, space, skills and people-to-people ties. The two leaders also discussed India’s and Russia’s engagement through BRICS.
Xi Jinping’s participation is also significant as the Chinese president is visiting India after several years. His presence, along with Modi and Putin, is expected to draw particular international attention to discussions on global politics, economic cooperation and the future direction of BRICS.
BRICS Expansion Gives the Summit Greater Global Weight
With its expansion to 11 members, BRICS now represents a much larger share of the world’s population and economy. The grouping has increasingly become an important platform for emerging economies to discuss economic cooperation, development and reforms in global governance.
India’s 2026 chairship has focused on four broad priorities—resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. More than 350 meetings and high-level engagements have been held across India during the chairship, according to the Indian government.
Global Leaders Arrive in New Delhi
Several BRICS leaders have already arrived in the national capital for the summit, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other heads of government.
Prime Minister Modi also held bilateral meetings with visiting leaders ahead of the formal summit. His talks with Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian covered bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global developments.
The summit is expected to conclude on September 13 with key outcomes and a collective statement reflecting the priorities discussed by the participating leaders.
For India, the 18th BRICS Summit is more than a high-level diplomatic gathering. It provides New Delhi an opportunity to shape discussions on global governance, economic cooperation, energy security, technology and the interests of the Global South, while strengthening its role as a bridge among major emerging powers.
