India on Thursday officially announced it will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, marking the country’s fourth time chairing the bloc and setting the stage for what officials describe as the most geographically diverse gathering in the group’s history.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the dates in an official statement, with the summit to be held at the Bharat Mandapam exhibition complex. The leaders’ meeting will serve as the centrepiece of India’s chairmanship year, which has been guided by the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the summit places a people-centric approach at the forefront, drawing on the inclusive spirit India brought to its 2023 G20 presidency, when it successfully placed Global South concerns at the centre of the international agenda.
Expanded Membership Reflects Growing Global South Influence
The summit will bring together leaders from all 11 BRICS member states: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, India has invited 10 partner countries: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
The expanded roster represents a significant evolution from BRICS’s origins as a five-nation economic forum. Indonesia, which became a full member in 2024 alongside Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, brings the world’s fourth most populous nation into the bloc. The inclusion of partner countries spanning Central Asia, Southeast Asia, West Africa, and Latin America underscores the group’s ambitions to serve as a voice for the developing world.
Officials described the response to invitations as encouraging. Saudi Arabia, which was previously invited to BRICS and continues to engage with the bloc, has also received an invitation to the summit.
Putin to Attend Amid Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed his attendance at the New Delhi summit, marking his second visit to India in under a year. Putin was last in New Delhi in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Putin’s attendance comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, with Russia facing continued Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. His participation in BRICS events on Indian soil will be closely watched for signals about the evolving India-Russia relationship, which has remained robust despite pressure from Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are also expected to attend. The presence of leaders from all major BRICS nations will test the bloc’s ability to maintain unity on contentious issues such as the conflict in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East.
Key Agenda: De-Dollarisation, AI, and Climate Resilience
According to the Indian Foreign Ministry, summit discussions will focus on trade and finance, de-dollarisation of settlements, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, climate resilience, energy security, food security, and supply chain resilience.
The de-dollarisation agenda remains the bloc’s most ambitious and controversial priority. BRICS members have been exploring mechanisms for local-currency settlements that could reduce dependence on the US dollar in bilateral trade. Russia and China have already expanded bilateral trade in yuan and rubles, while India has pushed for rupee-based trade with several partners.
On technology, the summit will address AI governance and digital public infrastructure. India has emerged as a leader in digital public systems through its Unified Payments Interface and Aadhaar identity platform, and will seek to promote similar models across the Global South.
Climate resilience and energy transition are expected to feature prominently, with several BRICS nations facing acute vulnerability to rising temperatures and extreme weather events. The bloc has also discussed creating new frameworks for investment and technology cooperation, as well as measures to reduce trade costs and strengthen supply chain resilience.
India’s Fourth Chairship and Global South Ambitions
India previously chaired BRICS in 2012, 2016, and 2021. This year’s chairship carries particular significance as India positions itself as a bridge between emerging economies and major global powers, leveraging its relationships with both the West and the BRICS bloc.
Ministerial and working-group meetings have already begun, laying the groundwork for agreements and recommendations to be considered by national leaders in September. The summit’s success will depend on whether BRICS can move beyond declarations and deliver measurable initiatives, analysts say.
With the bloc now representing over 40 percent of the world’s population and roughly 35 percent of global GDP at purchasing power parity, the New Delhi gathering has the potential to reshape the architecture of global governance. The challenge lies in translating that collective weight into concrete outcomes that benefit the billions of people across member and partner nations.
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