BRICS was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers.
New Delhi: Posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming the world leaders line the streets across New Delhi, with heavy security deployments across the capital amid strict traffic restrictions ahead of the BRICS summit over the weekend. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already arrived in the city for the 11-member bloc meeting, where discussions are expected to focus on divisions within the bloc over wars in the Middle East and Ukraine as well as broader economic cooperation.
The Russian leader and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, with trade and economic ties expected to feature prominently. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also visiting India after six years, following a chill in bilateral relations after the 2020 Galwan Valley border clashes that killed 20 Indians and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers, is also expected to meet PM Modi on the sidelines of the two-day meeting. Ties between the nuclear-armed Asian giants have been warming again recently, with flights, visas, and high-level contacts gradually being restored.
BRICS was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers. It has since expanded and now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — three countries with sharply differing positions on the war launched by the United States and Israel in February.
What’s on the agenda?
The expanded BRICS membership comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
As the 2026 chair, India is bringing together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries as well as Outreach Invitees.
During the BRICS Summit, the leaders will exchange views on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, said that during the 2-day summit, there is full confidence that the conference will feature positive and meaningful discussions on various issues, with aspirations for global welfare.
“One should converse only with the virtuous, act in concert only with the virtuous. One should engage in debate and friendship only with the virtuous, and nothing whatsoever with the unvirtuous,” he said.
Who All Are Attending the BRICS Summit?
Apart from Putin, Xi and Pezeshkian, leaders from nine other nations and several international organisations are attending the meeting.
This includes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to be represented by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, while the UAE is expected to send Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in place of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also likely to participate in the summit, though a formal announcement is pending.
Itinerary Of the BRICS Summit 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026
Venue: Bharat Mandapam
9:30 am to 10:15 am- Opening Session
10:30 am to 2:35 pm – Thematic Session
2:35 pm to 3:30 pm- Lunch
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm- Showcasing India’s BRICS journey
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm -Leaders session
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Venue: Bharat Mandapam
2:00 pm: Arrival of BRICS Leaders (BRICS Member Countries)
2:35 pm: Closed Session for BRICS Member Countries: “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism”
4.25 pm: Witnessing the “Bharat Innovates Exhibition (Leaders of BRICS Member Countries)
5.05 pm: Family Photo (Leaders of BRICS Member Countries)
5:10 pm: Joint Tree Plantation (Leaders of BRICS Member Countries)
7:30 pm: Gala Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Venue: Bharat Mandapam
9:55 am: Arrival of Leaders (HOGs/HODs) of BRICS Partner Countries/Outreach Invitees
10:35 am: Family Photo
10:50 am: Open Session “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth”
Security Upped in Delhi
Delhi has been put on high alert with tight security and temporary traffic curbs as India hosts top world leaders for the BRICS Summit at the Bharat Mandapam over the weekend. With around 15,000 Delhi Police personnel, 200 companies of paramilitary forces, and more than 500 CCTV cameras across Delhi, the capital is under a thick blanket of security for the two-day 18th BRICS Summit starting Saturday.
Delhi Traffic Police has clarified that there will be no shutdown of the city, but commuters should expect temporary stoppages, diversions, and restrictions on routes used by VVIP convoys.
Traffic will continue to move normally wherever security arrangements permit, officials said, adding that stoppages during the movement of foreign dignitaries will not have a fixed duration and vehicles will be released in phases depending on the security situation and prevailing ground conditions.
Arrangements have been put in place to ensure maximum security for the visiting dignitaries while causing minimum inconvenience to the public, officials said.
“We have made elaborate arrangements by ensuring minimum inconvenience to the public. We have also issued advance advisories on traffic arrangements,” a senior police officer said.
Delhi Police has conducted extensive surveys of the identified routes and held coordination meetings with multiple agencies and neighbouring states. The security arrangements will cover the airport, hotels, Bharat Mandapam and other locations the dignitaries would visit.
In the New Delhi zone, more than 500 CCTV cameras, including high-resolution ones, facial recognition systems and vehicle number plate-reading cameras will provide round-the-clock surveillance through a monitoring room, the officials said.
Enhanced access control, verification, intelligence gathering, traffic management and emergency response mechanisms have also been put in place at the summit venue and hotels where the foreign dignitaries would stay.
The traffic police said more than 35 roads could be affected during the summit period. Key roads include Mathura Road, Sardar Patel Marg, Shanti Path, Janpath, Ashoka Road, Barakhamba Road, Tolstoy Marg, Africa Avenue Road, Niti Marg, Panchsheel Marg and APJ Abdul Kalam Road.
The impact is expected to be significant for commuters travelling between Noida and central Delhi, east Delhi and central areas, and from Dwarka and west Delhi towards Dhaula Kuan, the airport, and south Delhi.
