New Delhi will host the 18th BRICS Summit on 12 and 13 September 2026, bringing together leaders of the expanded grouping as India holds the organisation's presidency.
The summit will be the culmination of India's 2026 BRICS chairship, which has included ministerial meetings and official-level discussions across areas ranging from trade and technology to education, energy and sustainable development.
India's presidency is being conducted under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability".
The September meeting is also attracting attention because of the possible attendance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the wider geopolitical backdrop surrounding the expanded grouping.
What Is BRICS?
BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that works to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, finance, technology and sustainable development. The grouping was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It has since expanded, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joining in 2024 and Indonesia becoming a full member in 2025. BRICS now has 11 full members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.
When is the BRICS Summit 2026?
The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026.
India has been hosting BRICS meetings throughout the year as part of its chairship. The leaders' summit will bring the programme to a close at the highest level.
Which countries are in BRICS?
BRICS has expanded significantly from its original five-member format.
The current full members are:
Brazil
China
Egypt
Ethiopia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Russia
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
United Arab Emirates
The expansion has given BRICS a broader presence across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
It has also made the grouping more diverse, with members having different economic interests and foreign-policy positions.
Will Xi Jinping attend the BRICS Summit in Delhi?
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the summit, according to a Reuters report published on 24 August.
If the visit goes ahead, it would be Xi's first visit to India since 2019. Reuters reported that Chinese officials were working on preparations for a possible visit and that Xi could be accompanied by a large delegation.
However, China had not officially confirmed Xi's attendance at the time of the Reuters report.
China's Foreign Ministry said Beijing attaches importance to BRICS cooperation and supports India in hosting the summit, but said it did not have information to provide about Xi's travel arrangements.
His attendance should therefore be described as expected or likely, rather than confirmed, until Beijing makes an official announcement.
What is on the BRICS agenda?
India's BRICS chairship has focused on cooperation across several areas.
These include:
Trade and investment
Economic cooperation
Technology and innovation
Digital transformation
Energy
Sustainable development
Education
Skills and employment
Urban development
Global governance
Recent meetings hosted by India illustrate the breadth of the programme.
The BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting, for example, focused on ICT cooperation, digital transformation, innovation and resilient digital infrastructure.
The BRICS education track has focused on academic cooperation, knowledge exchange and strengthening education systems, while the labour and employment track has discussed social security, women's participation in the workforce, skills and digital technologies.
The leaders' summit is expected to bring these strands of cooperation together.
Why is the Delhi summit important?
The summit comes as BRICS operates with a considerably larger membership than it had when the grouping was established.
That expansion has increased the range of issues represented within BRICS. It also means that reaching agreement on sensitive international questions can involve more competing interests.
For India, the presidency provides an opportunity to put its priorities before the expanded grouping and seek progress on areas where members can cooperate.
The government's stated approach has been centred on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, with a people-centric focus.
What could Xi's visit mean for India-China ties?
If Xi Jinping travels to New Delhi, his visit is likely to receive attention beyond the BRICS agenda.
India-China relations have been strained since the 2020 military clash along the Line of Actual Control. The two countries subsequently reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024, while diplomatic and military-level discussions have continued.
Reuters reported that officials from India and China were expected to use the summit as an opportunity to explore greater engagement while managing outstanding differences, including the boundary issue.
However, the details of any possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi have not been officially announced.
It would therefore be premature to predict a particular outcome from any bilateral engagement.
Will other geopolitical issues feature?
The BRICS summit is formally focused on cooperation among member countries, but wider international developments are also expected to form part of discussions.
A recent NDTV report, citing people involved in the preparations, said the conflict in West Asia could complicate negotiations over the summit declaration, particularly because Iran is expected to seek language reflecting its position.
The final wording of any leaders' declaration remains subject to negotiations.
This is an important distinction: issues may be discussed at the summit without necessarily appearing in the final declaration, and the final text cannot be known until negotiations are completed.
India's BRICS presidency so far
The Delhi summit is the final stage of a much larger programme.
India has hosted BRICS meetings covering areas including urbanisation, education, science and technology, communications, labour and employment and youth affairs.
The science and technology track, for instance, has focused on cooperation in innovation and technology, while the youth track has placed emphasis on young people's participation in innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
The series of meetings is scheduled to culminate with the leaders' summit in New Delhi.
What to watch at the BRICS Summit
Several developments will be closely watched when the leaders meet in September.
Xi Jinping's attendance: China has not yet officially confirmed his participation, although reports indicate that preparations are underway for a possible visit.
The summit declaration: The final document will indicate where the expanded grouping has been able to reach consensus.
Economic cooperation: Trade, investment, development finance and efforts to strengthen cooperation among member economies remain important parts of the BRICS agenda.
Technology: Digital transformation, innovation and resilient digital infrastructure have featured prominently during India's chairship.
Global issues: Developments such as the situation in West Asia could influence discussions, although the final position of the grouping will depend on negotiations.
TL;DR | News At a Glance
What: 18th BRICS Summit
Where: New Delhi, India
When: 12–13 September 2026
Host: India, which holds the 2026 BRICS presidency
Theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"
BRICS members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.
Xi Jinping: Expected to attend, but China had not officially confirmed his visit as of the latest reports.
Agenda: Trade, economic cooperation, technology, digital transformation, energy, education, sustainability and global governance.
What to watch: The final summit declaration, participating leaders and any bilateral engagements on the sidelines.
