BRICS Summit 2026 Highlights | Modi, Xi agree differences should not become disputes after bilateral meet

BRICS nations have rejected the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, declaring it “unilateral”, “punitive”, "discriminatory" and “protectionist”. The New Delhi Declaration, adopted unanimously, criticised the environmental import taxes, warning they penalise developing economies and harm the global trading system. It called for greater financial and technological support for developing countries to tackle climate change.

“We oppose unilateral, punitive, discriminatory and protectionist measures that are not in line with international law, such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms,” the BRICS declaration said.
It added that the grouping was concerned that such measures “undermine efforts by countries, specifically the developing countries, aimed at addressing the adverse impacts of climate change, increasing adaptive capacity and resilience.”
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of BRICS member countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, planted saplings outside the lawns of Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. They chose Banyan saplings for their deep roots in Indian culture. It symbolises the collective commitment of leaders to green growth, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

Modi-Xi Jinping Meeting: Key Highlights

Emphasis on advancing the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective during the Modi-Xi meeting

Both leaders welcomed the progress made in India-China relations following the Tianjin meeting

PM Modi’s clear message: differences should not turn into disputes

Emphasis on making the '3 Mutuals'—mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interests—guiding principles for the relationship

Peace and stability along the border identified as an essential foundation for the development of bilateral relations

PM Modi emphasised the need to adhere to existing agreements and understandings regarding the border

Reiterated commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the border dispute

Emphasis on enhancing people-to-people ties, cultural exchanges, business links, and the movement of people between the two countries

Discussion on addressing structural trade imbalances and supply chain issues

Emphasis on ensuring meaningful and reliable market access between India and China

Agreement to find common ground on regional and global issues and to jointly tackle challenges

PM Modi appreciated China's support for India's BRICS presidency and its contribution to the success of the BRICS Summit 2026.

"Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, meets with the Iranian President, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, on the sidelines of the "BRICS" summit in New Delhi; where during the meeting, a number of regional and international issues were discussed, along with the importance of supporting de-escalation efforts, reducing tensions, and achieving stability in the region, as well as enhancing opportunities for peace and development for its peoples," Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Saturday that the BRICS cooperation mechanism has become the world's most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries.

When addressing the Session I of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Xi noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of BRICS cooperation, saying that over the past two decades, the BRICS cooperation mechanism has continued to grow and expand, and has demonstrated remarkable vitality and dynamism.

Xi said it has been 20 years of self-reliance and self-strengthening, adding that BRICS countries have actively explored development paths suited to their own national conditions, setting an example of self-strengthening through unity among emerging markets and developing countries.

Xi-Modi bilateral meeting underway in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seen together while holding hands and laughing during the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. The image was posted by PM Modi on social media, and it quickly went viral as the leaders’ “bromance” took the spotlight at the high-stakes event.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and UAE Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks on Saturday (Sep 12) at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The two leaders held a meeting amid the tensions in the Middle East fueled by the US-Iran war.

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“We in BRICS must stand against the normalization of attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure. The same principle applies to peaceful nuclear facilities. These facilities must be protected against attack and threats of attack, because endangering them is not an issue confined to a single country, but a threat to international peace and security,” says Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The draft of the BRICS New Delhi Declaration 2026 is before us. It encapsulates the essence of our discussions and reflects our perspectives on key global and regional issues. It also outlines priorities for further strengthening BRICS cooperation. If no member has any objection, I propose that we adopt the declaration. No objections have been raised by any member. The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously." 
 

Chinese President Xi Jinping says China will take over BRICS presidency next year. He also emphasised that Mideast war does not serve ‘common interests’.

Zahra Pezeshkian, daughter of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and her husband Hassan Majidi visited the pavilion and interacted with the artisans and representatives showcasing Iran’s rich art, crafts and cultural heritage.

PM Narendra Modi added, “The Global South is in the front row of global challenges but in the back row of making decisions. I propose that we prepare 10 proposals for global reforms.”

As the BRICS Summit 2026 kicked off in the capital city of New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a seafarers' emergency support network to protect maritime workers during global crises.

“Today BRICS is in its 'coming of age' moment. We are not against anybody, but we take everybody forward with us,” PM Narendra Modi said in his opening address at the summit

PM Narendra Modi welcomed world leaders. In his opening address at the BRICS Summit 2026,  “I welcome you all to India with immense happiness. Innovation, co-operation, and and sustainability have been our priorities to make India's BRICS presidency successful.”

India-UAE ties have been transformed over the last few years. Now, we are raising our ambitions even higher. 

Indian PM Narendra Modi met His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The two leaders discussed…

• Strategic partnership on defence, AI, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity. 
• Investment ties to new possibilities in strategic energy infrastructure and IMEC connectivity; there is immense potential ahead. 
• Amid West Asia conflict, a strong India-UAE is a symbol of stability, prosperity and peace.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Vietnamese counterpart Lê Minh Hưng on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.  

They discussed…

• Deepening defence and security cooperation, including the proposed 2+2 mechanism.
• Expanding cooperation in energy, rare earths and space. 
• Working towards $25 billion bilateral trade by 2030 and greater two-way investment.
• Strengthening our deep cultural and civilisational linkages. 
• Vietnam will always remain a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR vision.

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, BRICS countries have reached consensus on a Joint Statement after intensive negotiations that continued until 4 AM. The negotiations saw differences on several contentious issues. India led sustained consultations to bridge competing positions and build consensus among members.

The breakthrough assumes particular significance given that Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all part of the same forum, despite deep differences and competing positions on several regional and geopolitical issues.

Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in West Asia, securing consensus among countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE presented a particularly complex diplomatic challenge.

India’s diplomatic prowess ensured that these differences did not derail the BRICS process, paving the way for a consensus joint statement despite sharply divergent geopolitical positions among member countries.

Ahead of BRICS 2026, New Delhi District Police conducted an extensive combing operation across the Ridge as part of heightened surveillance and area domination, the DCP, New Delhi, said in a post on X on Saturday.
“An extensive combing operation across the Ridge, backed by coordinated efforts with the outer force, strengthens surveillance and area domination,” the DCP New Delhi wrote on X.

PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Ethiopia and Malaysia on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, taking India’s relations with them on a new trajectory. Both countries expressed their keenness for stronger defence cooperation with India.

During the meeting, joint personnel training as well as defence procurement from India was discussed. In addition,  both countries welcomed Indian industry and Investment. While Ethiopia welcomed Indian mining companies, Malaysia discussed semiconductor opportunities.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday night held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Posting about the meet the Malaysian PM said, "Upon arriving in New Delhi, I immediately held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The meeting, which began around 11 p.m., took place in a friendly atmosphere and provided space for us to assess the progress of Malaysia-Russia relations and establish several concrete steps to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. I raised the need to accelerate efforts to realize direct flights between Malaysia and Russia, as well as visa-free travel facilities as previously agreed, to boost tourism, trade, and investment between the two countries."

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. During their bilateral discussion, as stated by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Putin expressed satisfaction over the continued progress in bilateral relations, pointing to consistent growth and structural improvements in trade between the two nations. He also praised Egypt as a "long-standing and reliable friend" and invited President el-Sisi to Moscow this October for the upcoming Russia–Africa Summit. "It has been a long time since we last met. I am very pleased to see you again," Putin said. "Indeed, these are turbulent times, and a great many events are unfolding. We remain in contact, as do our colleagues, and our key initiatives are pressing ahead, with plans being implemented."

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia does not pose a threat to European countries and has no intention of threatening them. Speaking in New Delhi, Putin said there had “never” been such a threat and questioned why Moscow would seek a conflict with Europe. Putin said Russia had “no grounds for any conflict with Europe”, arguing that issues arising from the Second World War had been settled. He also referred to developments following the collapse of the Soviet Union, saying they had taken place with the consent of the Russian Federation as the Soviet Union’s successor. According to Putin, actions that run counter to those arrangements also conflict with Russia’s interests and violate what he described as the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.

China Southern Airlines announced that it will resume regular passenger services on the Guangzhou-New Delhi route starting September 21, marking the relaunch of China Southern's India service after a six-year suspension. Following the restart, the airline will run over 100 weekly flights across its eight round-trip routes in South Asia, the carrier said.

China’s Envoy Xu Feihong has said that Beijing will work together with India and handle the differences between the two countries under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.“China and India are arranging for the bilateral meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi. This will be the third year in a row for the two leaders to meet with each other, following their meetings in Kazan and Tianjin,” the ambassador said. “China will work with India to act on the strategic guidance of the two leaders, handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, step up communication, enhance cooperation, properly handle differences, and be friends enjoying good-neighbourliness and partners helping each other succeed,” he added.

In his remarks at the BRICS Buiness Forum, Putin described G-7, which includes richest industrialised countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as “so-called G-7”.  "Over the last five years, more than 40% of the world's GDP has been produced by the BRICS countries, where the contribution of the so-called G7, the Great 7 - I don't know why they call that - stands at only 29%. Speaking about the growth of the world economy over the same period, we see that more than half of that growth has been accounted for by BRICS, whereas the G7 has only accounted for 18%. Why is that?” he said.  “The answer is simple, BRICS countries account for more than half of the world's population and that is why, they have a great dynamic, vibrant, domestic markets," he  added.  

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in India on Saturday for the BRICS Summit 2026, being hosted by New Delhi. Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the significance of multipolarity and the need to reform multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council, to reflect contemporary realities in the current and ever-changing world during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in the national capital.

According to the traffic advisory, movement will be heavily restricted around the primary venue, Bharat Mandapam (Pragati Maidan). Major routes marked for regulation and diversions include:

• Ring Road
• Mathura Road
• Bhairon Marg
• Tilak Marg
• The India Gate / C-Hexagon area
• Sardar Patel Marg
• Patel Road
• National Highway 48 (NH-48)
• Parade Road
• Key arterial roads within Lutyens' Delhi

Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, President of the Republic of the Philippines; Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus have arrived in India for the BRICS Summit 2026.

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong: “China and India are arranging for the bilateral meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi. This will be the third year in a row for the two leaders to meet with each other, following their meetings in Kazan and Tianjin.”

He added, “China will work with India to act on the strategic guidance of the two leaders, handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, step up communication, enhance cooperation, properly handle differences, and be friends enjoying good-neighbourliness and partners helping each other succeed.”