India seeks consensus as expanded BRICS prepares for New Delhi summit

India says it will try to build consensus across an enlarged and more diverse BRICS grouping before leaders meet in New Delhi on 12–13 September, including on tensions in West Asia and on practical ways to cut the cost of trade.

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam under India’s 2026 chairmanship. Officials say it will bring together the bloc’s 11 members, partner countries and outreach invitees. The theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.

An Indian official said the grouping works by consensus and that New Delhi’s role as chair is to keep members talking. “BRICS framework is based on consensus. As chair, we want engagement, dialogue with members,” the official said. “As chair, we are transparent. It’s a large grouping, 11 members. It brings diversity and experiences. Group focuses on dialogue, diplomacy. Before the summit, [we] want to build consensus wherever we can.”

That task has been complicated by rifts among members amid West Asia conflict, including differences involving Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, foreign ministers issued a chair’s outcome document rather than a fully agreed joint declaration after “differing views” on the regional crisis.

Sherpa-level talks on a leaders’ statement are continuing. “Working on joint statement,” the official said. “On ministerial meetings, we have seen outcome documents. We have worked [the] whole year, and at summit level, leaders will take stock.” India, the official added, has “stood for dialogue, diplomacy”. Members have called for an early end to the crisis, protection of civilians and free movement through waterways. “Our endeavour is to have dialogue. We will continue to engage and to find landing zones.”

On finance, India framed work on payments and trade in national currencies as a practical effort, not a campaign against any third country. “Look at practical mechanism to reduce transaction cost, not aimed at any country. Discussions continue at finance track, technical level. Let’s wait for finance ministers meet in early Sept.”

The New Development Bank was described as a “concrete manifestation of what BRICS can do” and “an important part of [the] BRICS framework of governance”. India will next chair the bank and “our effort will be to meet the aspirations of its members”. New Delhi also wants “more balanced trade between BRICS countries”.

Officials said India’s political message for the summit is development-focused and “people-centric”. “We have consolidated initiatives for developing economies, and taken new initiatives,” they explained. Every ministry has a BRICS unit. The grouping has again called for reformed multilateralism, and India has shared experience of UPI and digital health with partners.

Ten partner countries have been invited, and the response has been “encouraging”. Saudi Arabia, invited earlier to join BRICS, “continues to engage” and has been asked to attend the summit. Further expansion, India said, will follow agreed procedures and consensus after a period of consolidation.

On US sanctions and tariffs, India said it is examining the implications, while noting that BRICS “has articulated its postures in declarations”. Leaders will now have to turn a year of ministerial work into a text the expanded club can live with.