Delhi's top luxury hotels turn into high-security fortress hubs for BRICS 2026 delegations
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
New Delhi's luxury hotels in Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri turn into high-security diplomatic hubs as world leaders assemble at Bharat Mandapam for the 18th BRICS Summit.
Security in New Delhi has reached peak levels as world leaders and foreign delegations descended upon India's capital for the 18th BRICS Summit, hosted at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam complex. To manage the unprecedented diplomatic arrival, the national capital’s premier luxury hotels, primarily concentrated around the fortified enclaves of Lutyens’ Delhi and Chanakyapuri, have been transformed into secure diplomatic hubs for visiting heads of state and multilateral representatives.
The diplomatic footprint reflects the expanded reach of the global grouping. High-profile delegations are strategically distributed across Delhi’s hospitality landscape:
- ITC Maurya in Chanakyapuri is hosting the Russian delegation, led by President Vladimir Putin.
- Taj Palace on Sardar Patel Marg is accommodating the Chinese delegation, including President Xi Jinping.
- The Oberoi on Dr Zakir Hussain Marg is housing delegations from Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Ethiopia, along with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
- The Leela Palace in Chanakyapuri is quartering official contingents from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Bahrain.
- Taj Mahal Hotel on Mansingh Road is hosting delegations from Belarus, Cuba, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Uruguay, as well as leadership figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Trade Organisation (WTO).
- The LaLiT in Connaught Place is stationing delegates from South Africa and Burundi.
- Le Méridien in Windsor Place is hosting delegations from Nigeria, Uganda, and Malaysia, accompanied by UN Secretary-General officials and leadership from the New Development Bank (NDB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
- Sheraton New Delhi in Saket is dedicated to the Egyptian delegation.
- Shangri-La’s Eros on Ashoka Road is accommodating visiting West Asian diplomatic contingents.
Delhi Police and central security agencies have coordinated multi-tier perimeters, biometric access zones, and dedicated traffic corridors across the Central and South Delhi districts. The distribution of delegations ensures rapid, synchronised transit via VIP corridors connecting Lutyens' Delhi directly to Pragati Maidan.
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Inside Bharat Mandapam, leaders are slated to address key multilateral priorities, including regional economic integration, local currency settlement frameworks, energy security, and global governance reform. The concentration of global leadership across these key priorities underscores New Delhi’s role as the focal point of high-stakes international diplomacy.