India to host 18th BRICS Summit; Putin and Xi to attend
India will host the 18th BRICS summit on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the venue that hosted the G20 summit in 2023. That event was marked by the inclusion of the African Union into the G20, a significant step toward giving developing countries a larger role in global governance. India now seeks to build on that momentum, working with other major emerging economies to push for reforms in international institutions.
The BRICS grouping has expanded in recent years. It now has 11 full members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Ten countries participate as partner states. The bloc accounts for roughly 49 percent of the world's population, 40 percent of global GDP, and 26 percent of international trade.
This is the first in-person BRICS summit hosted by India since 2016, and the first participation by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a major international gathering since the conflict in Ukraine began. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend as well, his first visit to India in seven years. The two leaders' presence underscores the continued relevance of the grouping as a platform for dialogue among major powers.
India holds the BRICS chairship this year. The theme is "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." New Delhi says the theme draws from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'humanity first' approach to international relations. The year also marks two decades since the bloc's formation.
Under India's chairship, more than 350 meetings have taken place, including 25 at ministerial level. Participants have reported progress in agriculture, health, energy, environment, disaster management and trade. The grouping has also reaffirmed its support for a multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its centre.
For India, BRICS serves several goals. It is a cornerstone of India's strategic autonomy and multi-alignment policy. New Delhi has deepened ties with the West, including through the Quad, while also engaging with China and Russia in BRICS. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described BRICS as "an embodiment of a multipolar world." This engagement is also a hedge against uncertainties in the global order, whether arising from US policy shifts or China's rising assertiveness.
The grouping provides India with a platform to champion the interests of the Global South. India has consistently called for reforms at the United Nations Security Council, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. While some members support this, a formal endorsement of India's permanent membership bid at the UNSC remains elusive, with China among those not offering explicit backing.
India's participation also helps ensure that no single nation dictates the agenda of the developing world. In a consensus-based bloc, India's presence can have a moderating influence and prevent BRICS from turning into an anti-Western coalition, officials and analysts say.
Economic cooperation, including alternative financial mechanisms, is likely to be a major theme. India has said that any new architecture should complement existing global financial systems rather than replace them.
The summit will test India's ability to navigate between competing powers. The deliberations and outcomes will be watched closely by governments across the world as they assess the future direction of a multipolar order.
