&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "BRICS Summit 2026 Highlights: More than 40% of world GDP lies in BRICS, says Putin")
BRICS Summit 2026 Highlights: The 18th BRICS Summit is set to be held in New Delhi on September 12–13, with India hosting the two-day leaders’ meeting as part of its BRICS chairship. In the run-up to the summit, several world leaders and senior officials are arriving in the capital for bilateral meetings and other high-level engagements.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi early Friday for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today, with discussions expected to focus on trade, energy, defence and broader strategic ties between India and Russia.
Why is BRICS Summit 2026 being held in New Delhi?
India is hosting the 2026 BRICS Summit as part of its chairship of the grouping, aiming to position BRICS as a stronger platform for the Global South amid growing trade tensions and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Under its chairship, India has identified food and energy security, resilient supply chains, trade and investment, technology, digital cooperation and development finance as key areas of focus. The summit is also being held against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in West Asia, adding greater significance to discussions on global security and economic stability.
India’s theme for its BRICS chairship is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
This live blog has ended.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi on Friday (Sep 11) on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit. The two leaders discussed the wars in West Asia and Ukraine, their impact on the global economy and the need to reform multilateral institutions.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday (Sep 11) on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The talks with the leaders come at a time when both Russia and Iran are gripped by ongoing wars. While Russia has been engaged in a deadly conflict with Ukraine for more than four years, Iran is trading strikes with the United States.
According to MEA statement, The two leaders exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. Prime Minister reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also underscored the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce, and the safety and well-being of seafarers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi has concluded.
PM Modi on Friday hailed BRICS nations as important centres of global innovation and solutions amid global uncertainties.
Speaking at the leaders' session of the BRICS Business Forum, PM Narendra Modi said, "Today, BRICS nations represent 50% of the world's population, 40% of its GDP, and over 25% of global trade. Moreover, while global GDP has grown approximately two-and-a-half-fold over these years, the combined GDP of BRICS nations has expanded nearly four-and-a-half-fold. In other words, the economic strength of BRICS has grown at nearly twice the pace of the rest of the world. BRICS nations are also emerging as key hubs for global innovation and solutions. New possibilities for innovation, spanning everything from grassroots initiatives to frontier technologies, are taking shape within our countries. The growing scale, speed, and optimism of BRICS are clearly evident among us. This forum, hosted in India, is the largest BRICS Business Forum to date."
PM Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has commenced on the sidelines of BRICS Summit 2026.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (Sep 11) slammed the “ugly” economic warfare by Western nations, accusing them of undermining fair economic competition through sanctions, restrictions on trade routes and other measures. He also hailed BRICS as steadily becoming a bigger force in the global economy. The Russian president also compared the growth of BRICS countries, which make up 40 per cent of the global GDP, to that of the 29 per cent share of G7 nations.
PM Modi during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday gifted him translation of the ‘Thirukkural’, the celebrated Tamil classic by poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrives in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing the BRICS business forum says ‘over 40% of world GDP lies in BRICS’. He also hailed the ‘explosion of growth’ BRICS countries are witnessing.
El-Sisi arrives in India for the BRICS Summit 2026. MoS Defence Sanjay Seth received him at the airport.
India extends warm welcome to New Development Bank (NDB) President Dilma Rousseff.
“A very warm welcome to President of New Development Bank, Ms. Dilma Rousseff as she arrives in New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. The visit reaffirms the importance of strengthening development partnerships and advancing sustainable and inclusive growth across the Global South.”
* Ambitious trade target: bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030
* INNOPROM in India - Expanding Industrial cooperation with Russia; Collaboration in Rail sector and tunneling; Developing Steel value chain; More B2B opportunities; Broadening access to Russian Market
* Strengthening Civil Nuclear cooperation including fuel cycle and life cycle support
* Increasing cooperation in mobility - increasing Indian skilled labour to Russia
* Cooperation in Critical Minerals
* Sustaining and increasing cooperation in Fertilizers, through strategic JV projects
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met in New Delhi. The two discussed further strengthening the India-Russia payments system. The two countries discussed building a stable and reliable payments system. An investment protection agreement was also discussed. According to Sberbank India, 96% of India-Russia bilateral trade is now settled in rupees and rubles.
Xi will attend and address the event and have in-depth exchanges with leaders on the current international situation
China and India are arranging a bilateral meeting between Xi and Modi
At the BRICS Summit 2026, Harsh Pati Singhania, CMD, JK Paper Limited, says, "The BRICS Summit comes at a very crucial time when there has been global turmoil for a variety of reasons and uncertainty and unpredictability. Given this scenario, the BRICS leaders will want to come up with tangible solutions because each country is affected in one way or another. In my capacity as the chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Paris, we work a lot on trying to bring common standards that will be adopted by different countries. For example, the ICC has developed a large initiative called the Digital Standards Initiative, which is a set of digital standards for all trade documents that will be adopted by different countries. This is helpful because it allows trade to happen faster, particularly for medium and small enterprises..."
At the BRICS Summit 2026, former CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace, Dr Sudhir Kumar Mishra, says, "BRICS is happening at an uncertain time when two conflicts are happening in the world. This is both interesting and depressing. India has always believed in peace. PM Modi has taken special initiatives to talk to various groups so that a livable environment can be achieved."
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday (September 11) that the world is witnessing a significant change in the political and economic order. This development has brought volatility, uncertainty, and complexity, which have become defining features at the global level. Addressing the BRICS Business Forum, Jaishankar said the world is also experiencing geopolitical conflicts, pandemics and climate-related disruptions, prompting economic consequences.
In his keynote speech, Union Commerce and Trade Minister Piyush Goyal welcomed the delegation with folded hands in a traditional ‘namaste’ in the capital, New Delhi, for the Opening Session of the BRICS Business Forum. Highlighting India's role as the "pharmacy of the world," he emphasised "economic diplomacy," as the need of the hour.
The BRICS Business Forum is underway in the national capital as part of the BRICS Summit 2026, bringing together business and government leaders from several member countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal are among the key speakers at the forum. Addressing the opening session, BRICS Business Council Chair Jai Shroff said India’s BRICS chairmanship under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has centred on four priorities, Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, which he said are equally significant for governments and businesses.
The Delhi Traffic Police announced major traffic diversions for Friday, September 11, as the national capital prepares to host global leaders for the BRICS Summit. According to an advisory issued on Thursday, traffic restrictions will be in place from 2 pm to 8.30 pm on Friday. "Commuters are advised to plan their journeys in advance, allow extra travel time, use public transport, especially the Metro, and follow designated diversion routes and instructions from traffic personnel," the traffic police wrote on X, adding that emergency and essential-service vehicles will be given priority passage.
All schools in Delhi, including government, government-aided and private institutions, will remain closed on September 11 due to the BRICS Summit. In an order issued on September 5, the Directorate of Education stated that all schools and offices under its jurisdiction will observe a holiday in accordance with an earlier directive issued by the Delhi government’s General Administration Department.
From Bihar’s earthy and traditional sattu to the coffee cultivated in the hills of Koraput in Odisha and Gujarat’s intricate handicrafts, India’s rich regional diversity is being showcased alongside high-level diplomacy at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. As journalists from India and around the world arrive in the national capital for the September 12-13 summit, the BRICS media kit is offering more than briefing material. It provides an introduction to India’s diverse traditions, regional produce and centuries-old artisanal skills.
The Delhi Police has put in place a multi-layered security arrangement ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit, with around 15,000 personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces set to be deployed across the national capital, a senior police officer said on Thursday. As part of the heightened security measures, more than 500 CCTV cameras have also been installed across key areas. The surveillance network includes high-resolution and specialised cameras to maintain round-the-clock monitoring, the official said.
New Delhi is preparing to roll out a cultural red carpet for the visiting spouses and family members of BRICS leaders, with an extensive itinerary covering India’s political heritage, modern art and traditional crafts. The cultural programme has been planned alongside the three-day BRICS summit beginning September 11. The visitors are scheduled to explore some of Delhi’s most prominent cultural institutions, including the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and the Central Cottage Industries Emporium.
