India is set to host the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi on September 12–13, marking the country’s first time hosting the annual gathering in five years. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are expected to attend, with separate bilateral meetings anticipated between each leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The summit will be held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” reflecting BRICS’ focus on strengthening collaboration among member nations.
A visit by Xi Jinping would be particularly significant, as it would mark his first trip to India since October 2019, when he met Prime Minister Modi in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. Relations between the two countries deteriorated following the Galwan border standoff, but diplomatic engagement resumed in late 2024 after both sides agreed to de-escalate tensions. The two leaders last met in person at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin in August 2025.
The summit is also expected to address growing divisions within BRICS over the conflict in West Asia. Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which joined the bloc in January 2024, remain divided over regional issues following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026. Differences over BRICS’ position on Palestine reportedly prevented foreign ministers from issuing a joint statement after their meeting in May 2026.
India is expected to play a mediating role during the summit, with President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit providing an opportunity to discuss the regional situation directly with Indian leaders. India has also invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who will attend as the current BIMSTEC chair.
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