SUMMARY
New Delhi is preparing to host the 2026 BRICS Leaders' Summit on September 12 and 13, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to arrive within hours and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to arrive on Saturday. The summit comes at a sensitive moment for the expanded BRICS group, with the war involving Iran, tensions over global trade and sanctions, and the future of relations between India, China and Russia expected to dominate discussions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to arrive in Delhi within hours, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive on Saturday, September 12. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said preparations for the high-profile meeting are complete.
The 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit will take place on September 12 and 13, with India serving as the group's chair in 2026.
Putin Set to Arrive in Delhi
Putin is among the first major world leaders expected in New Delhi for the summit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already arrived in India ahead of the Russian president.
Putin's visit is expected to include meetings with Modi as the two countries discuss their longstanding strategic relationship, trade, energy, defence cooperation and wider international issues.
Russia remains one of India's most important strategic partners, particularly in defence and energy. The two countries have also maintained close economic ties despite Western sanctions on Moscow.
Putin's presence at the BRICS summit gives India an opportunity to deepen that relationship while also presenting itself as an independent diplomatic power capable of maintaining ties with Russia, China and the United States simultaneously.
Xi Jinping Arriving on Saturday
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday for the summit.
The visit is particularly significant because it will be Xi's first trip to India in seven years. His arrival comes after several years of tension between Beijing and New Delhi following the deadly 2020 border confrontation between Indian and Chinese forces.
Relations between the two countries have improved somewhat in recent years, with efforts to reduce border tensions and restore certain economic and diplomatic connections.
But major disagreements remain, particularly over security, investment and their long-term strategic competition in Asia.
Modi-Xi Meeting Could Be Closely Watched
One of the most important meetings during the summit could be a bilateral discussion between Modi and Xi.
The two leaders are expected to discuss the state of India-China relations as well as broader international issues. Their meeting could provide an opportunity to continue the diplomatic thaw that has developed since tensions peaked after the 2020 border clashes.
Economic relations remain more complicated. India has relaxed some restrictions on Chinese investment, while major Chinese companies continue to face scrutiny from Indian authorities.
Reuters reported that despite improving diplomatic relations, significant mistrust remains between the two countries, limiting how quickly business ties can recover.
BRICS Faces a Major Test Over Iran
The summit comes at an especially difficult time for BRICS because of the continuing war involving Iran.
Iran joined BRICS as a full member in 2024, while the United Arab Emirates is also part of the expanded group. The conflict has placed the two countries on opposing sides of a major regional crisis.
The UAE has suspended trade and financial transactions with Iran after being targeted by Iranian missiles, creating a difficult situation for a group that traditionally emphasizes cooperation among members.
BRICS leaders will therefore face a major diplomatic challenge: finding language on the Middle East crisis that can be accepted by both Iran and the UAE.
Russia has acknowledged that differences between the two countries are making negotiations over a joint declaration more difficult.
Why the Strait of Hormuz Matters
The Iran conflict also has major economic consequences for BRICS and the wider global economy.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments. Disruptions in the waterway have affected global energy markets and pushed crude oil prices above $100 a barrel.
For countries such as India and China, which are major energy consumers, developments around the Strait are particularly important.
The summit could therefore become a forum for discussions not only about diplomacy but also about energy security, trade routes and the stability of global commodity markets.
BRICS Has Become Much Larger
The BRICS of 2026 is considerably larger than the original group created by Brazil, Russia, India and China.
South Africa later joined, while Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia have since expanded the membership.
The enlargement has strengthened BRICS' representation across the Global South and increased its economic and geopolitical importance.
But expansion has also made the group more complicated. Its members have different political systems, economic interests, security relationships and positions on international conflicts.
The challenge for India as chair will be to find enough common ground for the group to present a united position despite those differences.
India Wants BRICS to Remain Relevant
India is using its 2026 chairmanship to emphasize cooperation on issues including economic development, technology, sustainability and global governance.
New Delhi also wants BRICS to remain an important platform for emerging economies without allowing the organization to become simply an anti-Western alliance.
That balancing act is particularly important for India because it maintains strategic relationships with both the United States and BRICS members such as Russia and China.
India's position could therefore shape how the organization responds to global conflicts, trade tensions and debates over the international financial system.
Heavy Security in New Delhi
Security preparations have been significantly increased across the Indian capital ahead of the summit.
Indian authorities are deploying around 30,000 security personnel, while separate security arrangements have been prepared for leaders including Putin and Xi.
Chinese and Russian security teams have already carried out preparations at the hotels where their leaders are expected to stay. Traffic restrictions and special arrangements are also being prepared for the leaders' movements around the city.
The scale of the security operation reflects the number of high-profile leaders expected to attend and the international attention surrounding the summit.
More Than 1,000 Journalists Expected
The summit is also expected to attract a large international media presence.
Indian reports indicate that between 1,200 and 1,300 journalists are expected to cover the event, reflecting the growing international importance of BRICS.
New Delhi has also prepared cultural events and decorations across the city as part of India's hosting of the summit.
What the Leaders Will Discuss
Several major issues are expected to dominate discussions during the two-day summit.
- Global trade and economic cooperation
- The war involving Iran and the wider Middle East crisis
- Energy security and oil markets
- Relations between India and China
- Russia's relationship with India and the wider Global South
- Reform of global institutions
- International sanctions and their economic impact
- Technology and artificial intelligence
- Development and investment among BRICS members
The leaders will also seek to produce a joint declaration. However, disagreements between members could make reaching consensus more difficult this year.
Why This Summit Matters
The 2026 BRICS summit comes at a time when the global political order is becoming increasingly fragmented.
The United States and its allies continue to shape major parts of the international economic and security system, while China and Russia are seeking greater influence across the Global South.
BRICS provides a platform where countries outside the traditional Western alliance structure can coordinate their positions and promote greater influence in global affairs.
But the summit will also demonstrate the limits of that cooperation. The differences between Iran and the UAE, for example, show how difficult it can be for an expanded group to agree on major geopolitical questions.
What to Watch Next
The arrival of Putin and Xi will mark the beginning of the most important phase of India's BRICS presidency.
Attention will focus particularly on the Modi-Putin and Modi-Xi meetings, the response to the Iran conflict and whether the leaders can agree on a joint declaration.
The summit could also provide an indication of whether India, China and Russia can maintain cooperation within BRICS despite their different relationships with other major powers.
Conclusion
With Putin preparing to arrive in New Delhi and Xi Jinping due on Saturday, the 2026 BRICS summit is moving into its decisive stage.
The gathering is more than a routine meeting of emerging economies. It comes amid war, energy-market disruption, growing competition between major powers and a continuing shift in the balance of global influence.
For India, the summit is an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic influence and strengthen its role in the Global South. For China and Russia, it offers another platform to deepen cooperation and challenge aspects of the existing international order.
But the biggest question may be whether an increasingly diverse BRICS can speak with one voice. The outcome of the summit, particularly on the Iran crisis and the group's future economic cooperation, could reveal just how united the expanded bloc really is.
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