BRICS summit in New Delhi today: Key leaders, agenda and what’s in store Day 1 | Today’s news
BRICS summit today: The stage is set for the BRICS 2026 summit, which will begin in the nation’s capital today, September 12.
The two-day summit is being held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Collaboration and Sustainability’.
Read also | BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE: China’s Xi leaves for Delhi for two-day event
India is the chairman of BRICS for the year 2026.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
The theme of the BRICS 2026 Summit is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
Bilateral meetings at the BRICS summit are scheduled at Hyderabad House and PM Modi’s leaders from various member countries will meet during the day.
India’s role as BRICS chair is significant as it seeks to build consensus among member states that have competing geopolitical interests, especially during heightened tensions in the wake of the US-Iran war.
In their closed-door meeting, the BRICS leaders will discuss inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism.
BRICS Summit 2026 will be held on September 12-13 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi JinpingSouth African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are among the global leaders attending the summit.
Prime Minister Modi already had bilateral talks with Putin and Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit. Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping tonight.
Here’s what Day 1 has in store:
The first day of BRICS events will begin at 2 pm at the Bharat Mandapam. Apart from the major BRICS events, PM Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with global leaders at Hyderabad House from 10:00 am on the wards.
Closed-door session: BRICS leaders to discuss inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism at Bharat Mandapam.
Key Bilateral Relations: PM Modi is scheduled to meet China’s Xi Jinping, UAE’s Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed Ali, Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim and Vietnam’s Le Minh Hung.
Read also | BRICS Summit 2026: Venue, Dates, Timings and Complete Programme
Bharat Innovates: BRICS leaders visit exhibition showcasing India’s innovation and technology capabilities.
Tree Planting Ceremony: BRICS leaders will participate in a joint tree planting ceremony.
Gala dinner: PM Modi to host BRICS leaders for summit dinner.
So the events are basically divided into two – BRICS and bilateral events. Here is the complete itinerary for the day:
BRICS Event: Day 1, Saturday
14:00: Arrival of BRICS leaders (BRICS member countries)
Venue: Level 2, Bharat Mandapam
14:35: Closed session for BRICS member countries: “Inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism”
Venue: Summit Hall, Level 2, Bharat Mandapam
4:25 PM: Witness ‘Bharat Innovates Exhibition’ (Leaders of BRICS Member Countries)
Venue: Hall 14, Bharat Mandapam
17:05: Family Photo (Leaders of BRICS member countries)
Venue: Outside Lawns, Bharat Mandapam
17:10: Joint tree plantation (leaders of BRICS member countries)
Venue: Outside Lawns, Bharat Mandapam
19:30: Gala dinner hosted by the Prime Minister
Venue: Level 3, Bharat Mandapam
Bilateral negotiations, Saturday
10:00 AM: PM Modi met Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
10:30 AM: PM Modi meets Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia
11:00 am: PM Modi meets Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Read also | BRICS summit: Can India bridge Middle East divide over Iran war?
11:30 AM: PM Modi meets Le Minh Hung, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
11:30 a.m.: Presidential meeting with Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Venue: Rashtrapati Bhavan
5:45 pm: PM Modi meets Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
India is the chairman of BRICS for the 2026 edition
Originally founded as the BRIC alliance comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, which convened its first meeting of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006 and held its inaugural summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009, the group expanded to become BRICS following the admission of South Africa in 2011.
The grouping has since undergone a transformational expansion, welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as full members in January 2024, followed by Indonesia in January 2025.
Today, with 11 full member states and an expanding number of partner countries, the alliance has a significant global position. economic and diplomatic influence.
The shadow of war between the US and Iran
The BRICS summit comes at a challenging time for India as the grouping navigates the fallout from the US-Iran war and the broader crisis in Middle East.
Striking a delicate diplomatic balance will be the immediate challenge for New Delhi. The expanded BRICS includes Iran as well as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, countries with divergent interests and positions on regional conflict.
At the same time, India maintains important strategic and economic relations with United States of America and Gulf countries. This makes Delhi’s role as BRICS chair particularly significant as it seeks to build consensus among members with competing geopolitical interests.
Under these circumstances, India faces a significant diplomatic test in building consensus at the upcoming BRICS summit, according to Harsh V. Pant, Vice President for Studies and Foreign Policy Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
Fragmentation is growing and the great powers are at odds with each other. Wars rage across the globe from the Middle East to Europe, with no end in sight.
The gathering, Pant argued, comes at a critical moment for the international community, and as such India has a central role to play in steering the platform towards practical solutions for Global South.
“Fragmentation is growing and superpowers are at odds with each other. Wars are raging across the globe from the Middle East to Europe, with no end in sight,” Pant told ANI.
