New Delhi, September 2026 : India is making final preparations to host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declaring that the country is ready for the high-profile gathering of world leaders.
PM Modi shared a video on X showcasing Bharat Mandapam, the summit venue, decorated to welcome leaders and delegations from BRICS member and partner countries. The video concluded with the message, "India is gearing up for BRICS 2026".
Sharing the video, Modi posted, "All set for BRICS 2026!"
The two-day summit will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees. Among the prominent leaders expected to visit the national capital are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Event Details
- Event: 18th BRICS Summit
- Dates: September 12-13, 2026
- Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
- Host: India, as BRICS Chair 2026
- Theme:Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
- Key focus: Political and security cooperation, economic and financial collaboration, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges
- Participants: BRICS member countries, partner countries and outreach invitees
- 2026 milestone: BRICS completes 20 years since its establishment
India's BRICS chairship for 2026 is guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", reflecting Modi's emphasis on a people-centric approach rooted in the principle of "Humanity First."
During the summit, leaders are expected to discuss ways to deepen cooperation within the grouping on common priorities while exchanging views on major global and regional developments of mutual interest.
BRICS currently comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The BRICS partner countries are Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
India is a founding member of BRICS and has previously held the group's chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021. It assumed its fourth chairship on January 1, 2026.
The year also carries special significance for the grouping as BRICS marks 20 years since its establishment, providing an additional backdrop to India's current chairship and the New Delhi summit.
India’s BRICS Chairship
Ahead of the leaders' summit, India has conducted an extensive programme of meetings and engagements throughout its chairship.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has hosted more than 350 meetings and high-level engagements during its BRICS presidency. These have focused on strengthening the strategic partnership across three broad pillars — political and security cooperation, economic and financial cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The government has said that these meetings, along with business-to-business and people-to-people initiatives, have sought to advance BRICS cooperation through practical and development-oriented outcomes.
The summit venue, Bharat Mandapam, has been transformed ahead of the arrival of the international delegations. The official X handle of the 18th BRICS Summit said on Thursday that Delhi was putting the finishing touches in place for the gathering.
"This is Delhi. This is the moment. With its heritage glowing and Bharat Mandapam gearing up, the capital puts the finishing touches in place for the 18th BRICS Summit," the official handle said.
In an earlier post, it said, "Delhi is gearing up for the 18th BRICS Summit. Soon, the world will meet at one table."
Elaborate Security Arrangements
The high-profile international gathering has also prompted extensive security preparations across the national capital.
The Delhi Police, in coordination with multiple security and government agencies, has deployed around 15,000 police personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces for the summit.
Authorities have also issued public advisories regarding routes that will face restrictions or diversions to facilitate the movement of visiting heads of state, government leaders and other high-level dignitaries.
With world leaders arriving in New Delhi and Bharat Mandapam prepared to host the two-day meeting, India is set to place its priorities for BRICS cooperation at the centre of discussions on global economic, political, security and developmental issues.
The summit will also provide an opportunity for India to showcase its role within the grouping and its broader vision of strengthening cooperation among emerging economies while promoting a people-centric and development-oriented international agenda.
