Bharat Mandapam in Delhi Readies to Host 12 Nation Meet Including China and Russia, Friday 11th Declared Holiday, Delhi Closed on 11-13 Including Saturday and Sunday

·         It is alleged that India is weakening BRICS and Diluting Global Unity!

·         It will mark the culmination of India’s BRICS chairship for 2026, which began on 1 January 2026.

·         This is India's fourth BRICS chairship, following its previous chairships in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

India’s BRICS Theme

India has adopted the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, structured around four pillars. There is no overt talk of creating a dollar alternative in payments or facing a Trump onslaught on world trade on BRICS members.

Extensive Engagement During 2026 Chairship

·         More than 350 BRICS meetings have been conducted during India's year-long chairship.

·         These have included meetings of:

o    Foreign ministers;

o    National security advisers;

o    Other ministers and senior officials;

o    Working groups;

o    Business and people-to-people platforms.

·         BRICS cooperation now extends across politics and security, finance, trade, industry, health, agriculture, energy, education, space, technology, environment, disaster management, startups, tourism and culture.

Security and Global Governance

·         At the BRICS National Security Advisers’ meeting in New Delhi in June, participants discussed:

o    Terrorism;

o    Cybersecurity;

o    Energy and food security;

o    Supply-chain resilience;

o    Risks arising from new technologies; and

o    Counter-terrorism cooperation.

·         The meeting also addressed security in the use of information and communication technologies.

·         The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in May focused on global and regional developments, reform of global governance and the multilateral system, and the future direction of BRICS as it approaches its 20th year.

·         A Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document reflected areas of consensus.

Focus on the Global South

·         India has sought to place the developmental priorities of the Global South at the centre of the BRICS agenda.

·         Summit initiatives include:

o    Farmer-focused agriculture;

o    People-centred urban development;

o    Future-ready mobility;

o    Skilled workforce development;

o    Women-led development;

o    Wider energy access;

o    Global health;

o    Traditional and integrative medicine;

o    Disaster-risk reduction;

o    Climate resilience;

o    MSMEs and startups;

o    Global value chains;

o    Anti-corruption; and

o    Anti-drug cooperation.

·         Sustainability initiatives include smart grids, energy transition, circular economy and nature-based solutions.

“Jan Bhagidari” – People’s Participation

·         India has sought to broaden BRICS beyond government-level engagement through “Jan Bhagidari, or people's participation.

·         Initiatives include the BRICS Solidarity Run, BRICS Film Festival, BRICS Bazaar and BRICS Quiz.

·         Cultural, academic, youth and business programmes have also been organised.

·         The objective is to increase public awareness and involve young people, academics, startups, businesses and cultural institutions in BRICS activities.

Key Takeaway

India’s 2026 BRICS chairship has expanded the grouping’s agenda beyond traditional political and economic cooperation toward resilience, technology, sustainability and Global South development. The 18th Summit in New Delhi will serve as the culmination of this programme, with particular emphasis on multilateral reform, economic cooperation, emerging technologies, supply-chain resilience and inclusive development.

 

[ABS News Service/09.09.2026]

India is set to host the 18th Brics Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, bringing together leaders of Brics member and partner countries, outreach invitees and heads of international organisations.

The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam and will mark the culmination of India’s Brics chairship in 2026. The meeting is expected to provide a platform for discussions on political, economic, security and developmental issues of common interest.

India assumed the Brics chairship on January 1, 2026. This is the country’s fourth time leading the grouping, after previous chairships in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

India’s Brics theme

India’s chairship is based on the theme: 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.

The four pillars are expected to guide the discussions at the summit. Under 'resilience', India has focused on strengthening cooperation in areas such as health, agriculture, food and energy security, disaster management and supply chains. The 'innovation' pillar covers startups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), science and technology, entrepreneurship, research and development, digital public infrastructure (DPI) and artificial intelligence, an official statement said.

The 'cooperation' pillar focuses on strengthening multilateralism, pushing for reforms in global governance institutions and promoting practical cooperation on development issues. The 'sustainability' pillar focuses on clean and renewable energy, climate action, climate adaptation, nature-based solutions and sustainable consumption.

More than 350 meetings held during India’s chairship

India’s year-long chairship has involved extensive engagement across different levels. More than 350 meetings have been held since the country assumed the chairship. These include meetings of foreign ministers, national security advisers, other ministers, senior officials, working groups and business and people-to-people platforms.

Brics cooperation now covers a wide range of subjects, including politics and security, finance and the economy, health, education, agriculture, trade, industry, energy, space, technology, environment, disaster management, startups, tourism and culture.

Security, global governance among key areas

Security has been an important part of India’s chairship. At the Brics National Security Advisers’ meeting in New Delhi in June, participating countries discussed non-traditional security challenges, including terrorism, cybersecurity, energy and food security, supply-chain resilience and the impact of new technologies.

The meeting also reviewed cooperation on counter-terrorism and security in the use of information and communication technologies.

Earlier, the Brics foreign ministers’ meeting in May discussed global and regional developments, reforms to global governance and the multilateral system, besides the future direction of Brics as the grouping approaches its 20th year.

The meeting resulted in a Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document reflecting areas of consensus among participating countries.

Focus on the Global South

A key objective of India’s chairship has been to bring the developmental priorities of the Global South into the Brics agenda. The 18th Summit will build on initiatives covering farmer-focused agriculture, people-centred urban development, future-ready mobility, skilled workers, women-led development and wider access to energy.

Other areas include global health, traditional and integrative medicine, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, MSMEs, startups, global value chains, anti-corruption and anti-drug cooperation.

India has also highlighted areas such as smart grids, energy transition, the circular economy and nature-based solutions as part of its sustainability agenda.

Jan Bhagidari: Taking Brics beyond government meetings

Another feature of India’s chairship has been the emphasis on 'Jan Bhagidari', or people’s participation. India has organised initiatives such as the Brics Solidarity Run, Brics Film Festival, Brics Bazaar and Brics Quiz, along with cultural, academic, youth and business programmes, the official statement said.

The aim is to increase public awareness about Brics and involve young people, academics, startups, businesses and cultural institutions in the grouping’s activities.