New Delhi, September 2026 : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held on September 12-13. He was warmly received at the airport by Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur.
Welcoming the Iranian President, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India and Iran share deep civilisational ties and strong cultural and people-to-people connections.
“India and Iran share civilizational ties, marked by robust cultural and people-to-people bonds. As BRICS partners, the two countries are working to contribute to shared progress and prosperity,” the MEA said in a post on X.
India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship in 2026, is hosting the summit in New Delhi, bringing together leaders of BRICS member states, partner countries and outreach invitees for discussions on global and regional issues.
BRICS currently comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its partner countries include Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Pezeshkian's visit is expected to provide an opportunity for India and Iran to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments.
Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described relations between the two countries as a “long-standing, historic and civilisational relationship”. He said Tehran intended to use the BRICS summit to pursue further discussions with New Delhi on areas of mutual interest.
Baqaei highlighted India's importance to Iran as a partner in both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS. He also pointed to the two countries' cooperation in trade and economic affairs.
“India is a member of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS. It is also one of the countries with which we have good relations in various areas, particularly trade and economic cooperation,” the Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency quoted him as saying.
He also underlined the significance of the Chabahar Port, a key area of cooperation between India and Iran.
“Various issues are usually discussed during consultations between Iran and India, including the Chabahar Port, which is important to both countries,” Baqaei said, adding that Iran's relations with India “continue to develop”.
Pezeshkian's arrival comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Iranian President met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, last month. During the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors.
The discussions also covered developments in West Asia. According to the MEA, Modi reiterated India's position that outstanding issues in the region should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The BRICS summit is expected to provide another platform for the two leaders to exchange views on regional developments and explore opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Earlier on Friday, Modi said leaders from around the world would gather in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit and expressed confidence that the high-level meeting would lead to constructive discussions.
“Over the next few days, leaders from around the world will gather for the BRICS Summit. I am confident that the Summit will see positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind,” Modi said in a post on X.
With India hosting the summit amid evolving geopolitical and economic challenges, Pezeshkian's participation is expected to add significance to discussions on global cooperation, trade, regional stability and development.
