New Delhi is gearing up to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12 and 13, with several prominent world leaders expected to gather at Bharat Mandapam. India is chairing the grouping this year, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the summit programme.
The main leaders’ meeting will begin on Saturday, September 12, with representatives of the 11 full BRICS members. Leaders from partner and outreach countries are expected to join the programme on Sunday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are among the key leaders expected to attend. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are also expected to participate.
The UAE will be represented by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, while Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira is expected to attend.
The BRICS grouping currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The group was originally formed in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE became members in 2024, while Indonesia later joined as a full member.
Several partner and outreach countries will also participate. Their representatives include Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ugandan Vice-President Jessica Alupo are also expected.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to attend as the senior UN representative.
The summit agenda will cover a wide range of issues, including multilateralism, global governance, trade, investment, energy and food security, supply chains and economic cooperation. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation among developing economies and addressing major global challenges.
Ahead of the main summit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address the BRICS Business Forum on Friday, September 11. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are also expected to participate in the opening session.
A major Chinese business delegation is visiting India ahead of the summit. Senior executives from companies including CNPC, ICBC, China COSCO Shipping, Huawei and Alibaba are expected to hold discussions on trade, investment, technology and supply chains.
Business leaders from other BRICS countries will also attend, representing sectors such as energy, banking, aviation, shipping, mining and technology.
With several foreign leaders arriving in the national capital, Delhi has put in place a major security operation. Thousands of personnel have been deployed at airports, hotels and the Bharat Mandapam venue, while traffic restrictions are expected in several parts of the city during the summit.
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