The 18th BRICS Summit is set to bring together leaders and senior representatives of major emerging economies in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with India hosting the gathering amid significant geopolitical and economic developments across the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a series of important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. Discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are expected to receive particular attention because of the ongoing conflicts and tensions involving their respective countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also scheduled to visit India for the summit, with his engagement with Prime Minister Modi being closely watched amid efforts to improve India China relations.
India is hosting the summit as part of its 2026 BRICS chairship. The country's BRICS presidency has focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. The agenda includes economic and financial cooperation, political and security issues, technology, supply chains and other areas of common interest.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has highlighted the changing nature of the international environment while addressing BRICS-related discussions. His remarks come at a time when countries are facing geopolitical conflicts, economic uncertainty, disruptions to supply chains and changes in the international economic system.
Jaishankar has stressed the importance of resilience and greater cooperation among BRICS countries. At the BRICS Business Forum, he highlighted the need for reliable supply chains, stronger logistics, greater use of technology and digitalisation, cross-border payment systems and cooperation using national currencies. These issues are expected to form part of the broader economic discussions surrounding the summit.
The summit is taking place against the backdrop of ongoing international conflicts. The war involving Iran and the United States and Israel has created an additional challenge for BRICS, particularly because Iran is now a member of the expanded grouping. Differences among members over the West Asia conflict could make negotiations on a joint declaration more complicated.
The Ukraine conflict is another major issue surrounding the summit. Russia remains a key BRICS member, while India has maintained diplomatic relations with both Russia and Western countries. New Delhi's position has generally focused on dialogue, diplomacy and national interests while maintaining strategic relations with different global powers.
Against this background, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be closely watched. The two leaders are likely to discuss bilateral relations and broader regional and international developments. Putin is scheduled to attend the New Delhi summit, with his participation adding importance to India's engagement with Russia.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also visiting India for the BRICS Summit. His visit comes at a particularly sensitive time because of the conflict in West Asia. Pezeshkian is expected to hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Modi, providing an opportunity for the two countries to discuss regional developments and bilateral cooperation.
The participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping is another major focus of the summit. Xi's visit marks his first trip to India in seven years. His presence comes as India and China have been attempting to stabilise their relationship after years of tension following the 2020 border confrontation.
Relations between India and China have shown signs of improvement in recent years, although significant challenges remain. Both countries continue to have concerns relating to the border, trade, investment, technology and strategic issues. A meeting between Modi and Xi could therefore provide an opportunity to discuss these matters at the highest political level.
The India China relationship remains an important component of the wider BRICS discussion because both countries are among the grouping's most influential members. India has sought to maintain BRICS as a broad platform for cooperation rather than allowing it to become an explicitly anti Western alliance.
The summit also comes at a time when BRICS itself has expanded significantly. The grouping now includes 11 member countries, increasing its geographical and economic reach. According to India's official information, BRICS has developed from a group of emerging economies into a broader platform covering economic policy, development, finance, technology, trade and Global South interests.
The expansion has also created new challenges. BRICS members have different political systems, economic priorities and foreign policy interests. While some members favour a stronger role for the grouping in challenging Western dominance, others prefer a broader platform focused on practical economic and developmental cooperation.
The New Delhi summit is therefore expected to focus on areas where member countries can identify common ground. Proposals under discussion include cooperation on startups, innovation, supply chains and logistics. A BRICS Incubator Network and a possible Startup Innovation Fund are among the initiatives being considered to strengthen cooperation between businesses and emerging companies in member countries.
Economic resilience is another major theme. Global supply chains have faced repeated disruptions because of geopolitical tensions, conflicts and changes in trade policies. India has emphasised the importance of reliable supply chains, technology and cooperation among BRICS economies to deal with such challenges.
The issue of international payments is also expected to remain important. BRICS countries have discussed greater use of national currencies and improvements in cross-border payment mechanisms. However, significant differences between the financial systems of member countries mean that creating a common financial framework would be complex.
For India, the summit provides an opportunity to strengthen its diplomatic position while maintaining relations with countries that have different strategic interests. New Delhi continues to engage with the United States and European countries while also maintaining strong relationships with Russia, China, Iran and other emerging economies.
The summit is therefore being held at a time when India's policy of strategic autonomy is receiving considerable attention. Analysts have noted that the Ukraine and Iran conflicts, growing US China competition and wider geopolitical uncertainty have increased the importance of India's ability to engage with multiple major powers.
The BRICS gathering will also test the ability of the expanded grouping to reach consensus. The ongoing West Asia conflict has already created differences among member countries, while the diverse interests of the expanded membership could make a common position difficult.
Despite these challenges, India is seeking to use its BRICS chairship to promote practical cooperation. More than 350 meetings and high-level engagements have been conducted across India during the year as part of the country's BRICS presidency. These activities have covered political and security matters, economic and financial cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The summit will therefore be closely watched not only for the bilateral meetings involving Prime Minister Modi but also for the decisions taken by BRICS leaders as a group.
The expected Modi Xi meeting could be significant for India China relations. Modi's discussions with Putin and Pezeshkian will also attract international attention because of the wars and geopolitical tensions involving Russia and Iran.
At the same time, Jaishankar's emphasis on changes in the global political and economic environment reflects India's broader approach to the summit. India is seeking greater resilience in supply chains, stronger economic cooperation and a larger role for developing countries in global decision-making.
The New Delhi summit is consequently more than a routine diplomatic gathering. It comes at a time of major changes in international relations, economic uncertainty and geopolitical competition. The outcomes of the summit could influence discussions on global governance, economic cooperation and the future direction of BRICS.
For India, the immediate priority will be to use the summit to strengthen bilateral relationships, advance practical cooperation and maintain a balanced diplomatic position. The meetings involving Modi and other world leaders will be closely watched for indications of progress on bilateral and regional issues.
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled for September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The discussions are expected to cover global and regional issues as well as cooperation in areas including economic development, technology, supply chains and financial cooperation.
As leaders gather in New Delhi, the summit will provide an important test of BRICS's ability to cooperate despite differences among its members. For India, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic convening role and advance its priorities as chair of the grouping.