India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
New Delhi set to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12-13. Heads of State from BRICS, partner countries and outreach invitees are set to discuss global governance, multilateralism, innovation and sustainable development.
The Union Ministry of External Affairs has released the itinerary for the two-day summit, which includes bilateral meetings among BRICS leaders, as well as a larger get-together with partner countries and outreach invitees.
New Delhi is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam, gathering leaders and invitees to discuss global governance, innovation, and sustainability under India’s 2025 Presidency.
Day 1: Closed-door meetings and gala dinner
The day will begin with the arrival of the BRICS Leaders at Bharat Mandapam at 2:00 pm on 12 th September. The Leaders will hold their first closed-door meeting at 2:35 pm, focusing on strengthening multilateralism and more representative global governance.
The Leaders will then visit the Bharat Innovates exhibition which is scheduled to begin at 4:25 pm. A group photograph will be taken at 5:05 pm, followed by a tree-planting event. The day will wind up with a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam.
The ministry also noted that selected events will be broadcast on the official BRICS and MEA YouTube channels and Doordarshan. Photographs will be shared on BRICS Flick.
Day 2: Partners, invitees to join in
On the second day, the BRICS partners, as well as outreach invitees, will join the Leaders for the main open session.
The Leaders of partner countries and outreach invitees are expected to arrive at 9:55 am on 13 th September. A family photograph is scheduled for 10:35 am, followed by the opening session at 10:50 am. The theme of the session is ‘Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.’
The session is expected to focus on issues identified in India’s agenda for the year as the country begins its fourth term as the BRICS President. India’s theme for the 2026 summit is ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.’
BRICS’ global outreach
The BRICS grouping allows for political, economic, financial, and people-to-people interaction among member states. Unlike the UN, it does not have a treaty, a secretariat, or a budget. However, it has a growing global presence, and membership has expanded to include 11 full members and 10 partner countries.
The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are the founding members of BRICS. The other full members are Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. India became the President of BRICS in January 2025, and Indonesia joined the grouping in January 2025.
There is also an extended group of partner countries, which includes Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
India’s fourth term as BRICS President
The upcoming summit is significant for India as the country assumes the Presidentship for the fourth time in its history. India had previously served as the President in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
2026 is also a special year for BRICS as it marks the 20 th anniversary of the grouping. According to the MEA, India has conducted more than 350 meetings, including high-level meetings and events, in over 25 cities as President of BRICS in 2025.
The New Delhi summit will witness the culmination of these efforts, with meetings among the Leaders of BRICS, partner countries, and outreach invitees. They are expected to deliberate on ways to strengthen coordination within BRICS, as well as matters of mutual interest, including geopolitical developments.
The two-day meeting is likely to highlight India’s agenda of focusing on resilience, innovation, and sustainability, as well as enhancing regional and global cooperation.
