India Hosts 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi as Modi Holds Bilateral Meetings with Putin and Xi Jinping

September 12, 2026

Sources: Reuters, Washington Post, Tribune India, Business Standard, India.com, U.S. News & World Report, Press Information Bureau Government of India. Modi-Putin bilateral on September 11 confirmed by Reuters and Washington Post. Xi Jinping arrival Saturday morning September 12 confirmed by Reuters, U.S. News & World Report, India.com. Joint declaration adoption reported Tribune India September 12.

India began hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, bringing together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia under the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, according to official government statements and multiple reports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, September 11, with the discussions focusing on expanding bilateral trade, investment, energy cooperation, and defense ties, while also discussing peace efforts for ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, according to Reuters and Washington Post coverage. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday morning, September 12, and was scheduled to meet with PM Modi later that day on the sidelines of the summit, marking his first visit to India in seven years and the third consecutive year of leader-level talks between the two leaders. The Summit represents India's fourth BRICS Chairship, following previous terms in 2012, 2016, and 2021. This Summit carries heightened significance as India navigates complex geopolitical currents while demonstrating strategic autonomy. The BRICS grouping now includes ten member states following the 2023 expansion, and collectively represents over 40 percent of the global population and approximately 24 percent of global GDP. In a significant diplomatic achievement, PM Modi announced Saturday that BRICS members adopted a joint declaration with consensus, overcoming sharp initial divisions between Iran and the UAE over the West Asia conflict through back-channel negotiations that went down to the wire, according to Tribune India. India's chairship priorities include food and energy security, resilient supply chains, trade and investment, technology and digital cooperation, and development finance, positioning New Delhi as a leading voice of the Glob