New Delhi, September 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook an intensive diplomatic schedule during the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, engaging with world leaders and senior international officials through summit sessions, bilateral meetings and informal discussions.
The three-day diplomatic engagement, which began on Friday and continued until Sunday afternoon, saw Modi participate in multiple high-level sessions while holding 15 bilateral sit-down meetings with visiting Heads of State and government leaders.
The summit brought together BRICS members, partner countries, Outreach invitees and heads of major international institutions for discussions on strengthening multilateralism, inclusive global governance, economic cooperation and sustainable growth.
Following the conclusion of the summit and their engagements in the national capital, several foreign leaders and senior officials departed New Delhi between the early hours of Monday and Monday morning.
Those leaving the capital included Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye and First Lady Angeline Ndayishimiye, Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Burundi Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, Brazil Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Earlier on Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov also departed New Delhi.
Intensive Diplomatic Schedule
Prime Minister Modi began his diplomatic engagements on Friday afternoon with a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Bharat Mandapam. The meeting was followed later in the evening by bilateral discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The second day of the summit saw Modi begin his schedule at Hyderabad House, where he held bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
He subsequently met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
Modi then welcomed leaders from BRICS member countries as they arrived at Bharat Mandapam for the formal proceedings.
The leaders participated in a closed-door session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism”, during which Modi delivered an address.
The Prime Minister also accompanied his BRICS counterparts to the “Bharat Innovates” exhibition, highlighting India’s innovation and technological capabilities. The leaders later participated in a traditional family photograph and a joint tree plantation programme on the lawns of Bharat Mandapam.
One of the most closely watched engagements of the day was Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the two leaders held discussions on bilateral and broader global issues.
The day concluded with a gala dinner hosted by Modi for visiting dignitaries at Bharat Mandapam.
Seven Bilateral Meetings on Sunday
On Sunday, Modi continued his diplomatic engagements with leaders representing BRICS Partner Countries and Outreach Invitees. He participated in another family photograph before addressing the summit session titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
The Prime Minister then held a series of back-to-back bilateral meetings at Bharat Mandapam.
He met Kazakhstan Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
Modi also held discussions with Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Ugandan Vice-President Jessica Alupo.
These meetings formed a major part of India’s diplomatic outreach during the summit, providing opportunities to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as wider regional and global developments.
Beyond the formal sit-down meetings, Modi also held several pull-aside conversations with leaders and heads of international institutions participating in the main BRICS sessions, Outreach meetings and BRICS Plus Dialogue.
The extensive schedule underlined the importance India attached to the 18th BRICS Summit and its broader diplomatic outreach, with New Delhi serving as a platform for discussions on global governance, multilateral cooperation, innovation, resilience and inclusive economic growth.
