New Delhi, September 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrated an intense diplomatic schedule during the highly successful 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, attending summit sessions and holding as many as 15 bilateral meetings with visiting heads of state and government between Friday and late Sunday afternoon.
In addition to the formal bilateral engagements, Modi also held several pull-aside meetings with world leaders and heads of international institutions participating in the BRICS Summit and the Outreach/BRICS Plus Dialogue.
The Prime Minister began his diplomatic engagements on Friday afternoon with a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Bharat Mandapam. He subsequently held bilateral discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres later that evening.
On Saturday, Modi began his day at Hyderabad House, where he hosted Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for bilateral discussions. He then 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.
The Prime Minister later welcomed BRICS leaders from member countries as they arrived at Bharat Mandapam for the summit.
A closed-door session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism” followed, during which Modi addressed the participating leaders. He subsequently visited the ‘Bharat Innovates’ exhibition along with BRICS leaders.
The summit programme also included the customary family photograph with the participating leaders, followed by a joint tree plantation ceremony on the lawns of Bharat Mandapam.
One of the most significant engagements of the summit was Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking an important diplomatic interaction on the sidelines of the BRICS gathering.
The Prime Minister’s busy Saturday schedule concluded with a gala dinner hosted for the visiting leaders at Bharat Mandapam.
On Sunday, Modi met leaders of BRICS Partner Countries and Outreach Invitees and participated in another family photo session. He then addressed the summit session titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
A series of bilateral meetings followed, with Modi holding discussions at Bharat Mandapam with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, Nigeria Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Uganda Vice-President Jessica Alupo.
The back-to-back meetings reflected the Prime Minister’s focus on strengthening India’s bilateral partnerships with countries across different regions while advancing cooperation through the BRICS platform.
Between the formal sit-down meetings, Modi also held important discussions with participating leaders and heads of several international institutions attending various BRICS sessions.
The packed three-day schedule highlighted the wide-ranging diplomatic engagements surrounding the summit and underscored India’s efforts to use the BRICS platform to deepen cooperation, strengthen multilateralism and promote inclusive global growth.
