Actionable Insights

Overview of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi

The city decorates streets, signs, and roundabouts with BRICS-themed graphics. More than a dozen world leaders converge to discuss a coordinated response to Western-dominated economic alliances.

Security Arrangements

Consequently, organizers advise participants to schedule meetings early and use pre-approved routes.

Leaders in Attendance

  • Vladimir Putin (Russia)
  • Masoud Pezeshkian (Iran)
  • Antonio Guterres (UN Secretary-General)
  • Xi Jinping (China) – arrives after a seven-year hiatus

These leaders hold early bilateral meetings with Modi before the plenary sessions begin.

Geopolitical Context

The summit unfolds amid the United States-Israel-Iran confrontation, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and volatile global energy markets. Therefore, analysts watch for BRICS strategies that address intersecting crises while pursuing long-term goals.

What Is BRICS and Recent Membership Changes

**

2023 Expansion

Each country accepted, broadening the bloc’s geographic and economic reach.

Argentina’s Decision

BRICS also offered membership to Argentina, but President Javier Milei declined, preferring stronger ties with the West.

Indonesia’s Admission

Key Themes and Agenda Items

  • Energy security – Joint statements are expected to address supply-chain resilience.
  • Digital cooperation – Members explore shared platforms for data exchange and fintech.
  • Agricultural trade – New members seek BRICS-backed agreements to diversify export markets.

Internal Challenges Within BRICS

  • Divergent foreign policies – Balancing Russia’s sanctions with China’s trade agenda creates diplomatic friction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Argentina reject BRICS membership? A: President Javier Milei prioritized strengthening ties with Western partners over joining the bloc.

The group sets priorities and holds discussions at a summit once a year, which members take turns hosting. This year’s summit is the 18th to be held.

Leaders Attending the Summit

Heads of the Original Five and Their Representatives

BRICS member countries are most represented by their top leaders, including the host – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Of the original five members, only Brazil did not send its leader – President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is tied up with local elections, and Brazil will be represented by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.

Newer Member Representatives

Iran is represented by President Masoud Pezeshkian. Egypt is represented by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Ethiopia is represented by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Indonesia is represented by President Prabowo Subianto. While both the UAE and Saudi Arabia sent other members of government: Saudi Arabia is represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The UAE is represented by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

International Organization Leaders Present

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the World Health Organisation’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the World Trade Organisation’s Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are among leaders of international organisations who are also attending the summit.

Other world leaders attending the summit include: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim; Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr; Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung; Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima; Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye; Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla; Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo; Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin; Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani; Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Key Themes and Agenda Items

Theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability

The central theme of BRICS is members’ desire to push back against the global dominance of Western-led institutions, especially when it comes to economic matters. This year, with India hosting the summit, the theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability”, according to New Delhi’s BRICS presidency documents.

Economic Cooperation and Trade Resilience

**

Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, the French financial services group, said leaders will also discuss modes of cross-border payments amid Western sanctions on BRICS members Russia and Iran. “But they will not try to substitute the dollar,” she told Al Jazeera.

Russia will hold discussions with other BRICS partner countries on conducting trade settlements in digital currencies at a summit this week in New Delhi, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

“These issues, which BRICS leaders will discuss, are sort of primary issues which can secure supply chains and de-risk them amid ongoing conflicts in the world,” Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of Bengaluru-based think tank Takshashila Institution’s Geostrategy Programme, told Al Jazeera.

Sanctions, Digital Payments, and Currency Issues

Therefore, the agenda includes a focus on how to navigate sanctions without abandoning the dollar outright. The digital-currency talks are expected to complement broader efforts to create resilient payment channels.

US-Israel War on Iran

This year’s summit comes just more than six months since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began. In May, a BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting failed to jointly condemn the war on Iran. Pezeshkian, who will be at the summit, is expected to discuss the war. It is his first visit to India as Iranian president and also marks the first visit by an Iranian president to the subcontinent in eight years.

“Iran is a BRICS member and the conflict has been directly affecting trade routes and energy access and market, which is having global economic impact,” Alejandro Reyes, adjunct professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong, said.

But, he said, the confrontation between Iran and BRICS member UAE in the context of the war will make reaching common language on the conflict difficult for member nations. Since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began, Tehran has retaliated by targeting US military assets and civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, including in the UAE. So far, Iranian strikes have killed 15 people in the UAE, including two military personnel, one civilian contractor and 12 other civilians. The UAE also announced an indefinite trade embargo in Iran in August.

Russia’s War on Ukraine

BRICS leaders are also likely to discuss bloc member Russia’s war on Ukraine. According to Kewalramani, however, the alliance’s leaders have been talking about Moscow’s actions in Kyiv for a few years already, and this year, he thinks they will essentially be talking about how every BRICS members’ legitimate interests around the war could be addressed jointly.

In the July 2025 joint declaration issued at the 17th summit in Rio de Janeiro, BRICS leaders avoided criticising Russia for its war on Ukraine and instead condemned Kyiv’s attacks on Russia. “I don’t think the BRICS common language on the war this year will be problematic, given that the Americans and the Russians are talking right now,” Kewalramani added.

Earlier this month, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with Putin in Moscow, in what appears to be new efforts by the Trump administration to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Internal Challenges Within BRICS

According to analysts, there are substantial differences among BRICS members regarding geopolitical issues, especially after the alliance’s recent expansion.

Iran-UAE Rift

This year’s summit comes amid an ongoing rift between BRICS members Iran and UAE over the war in the Middle East.

Saudi-Houthi Tensions

Tensions between Iran and fellow BRICS member Saudi Arabia have similarly been brewing as Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launch drones.

India-China Border Dispute

Meanwhile, India’s position on the war is also delicate, with New Delhi balancing cordial relations with both Iran and Israel, but also being careful not to upset ties with Washington.

According to Kewalramani, the alliance will aim to address the war without naming countries. “I would be surprised if they name the US and Israel. They will likely find a state of compromise and arrive at a statement on the war around the themes of sovereignty, territorial integrity of all countries and respecting legitimate interests and concerns,” he said.

Broader Geopolitical Implications

Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told Al Jazeera that against the backdrop of an increasingly fraught relationship with Europe and the US, the BRICS summit will provide Russian President Putin with an opportunity to display ties to leading countries in the Global South. “It also offers an opportunity for Russia and China to exploit the desire of many countries to hedge against uncertain trade and security policies emanating from Washington,” he said.

Retired Senior Colonel Zhou Bo of the People’s Liberation Army told Al Jazeera that, while BRICS leaders gathering is nothing new and is part of their annual summit schedules, this year, the fact that China’s President Xi Jinping is going to India after seven years is significant. “The relationship between Beijing and New Delhi has been frosty. So this summit is a good chance for President Xi and Prime Minister Modi to resolve differences,” he said.

Looking at the bigger picture, he said the BRICS Summit this year signals that the world order is changing amid the ongoing wars and economic challenges. “So for BRICS in the future, there are some issues to tackle. One, which was brought up by BRICS member Brazil, is how the countries in the bloc could gradually trade in another currency and not the dollar. But that is not realistic considering there are economic disparities between BRICS countries,” he said. “The second issue is how this organisation could play a bigger role in international geopolitics. Right now, major BRICS powers are involved in wars and finding language to comment on the wars, which is suitable for all BRICS members is going to be challenging,” he added.