Archive · 11 Sep 2026
India keeps BRICS summit low-key amid delicate global ties
India is getting ready to host a meeting for BRICS countries in New Delhi.
The meeting is scheduled for Sept.
12-13.
Leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping are expected to attend.
Unlike the colorful and highly publicized G20 summit India hosted in 2023, this event is being prepared more quietly.
One reason is that the United States is worried BRICS could challenge its influence.
India also wants to maintain an important relationship with the United States.
At the same time, India has disagreements with China, an important BRICS member.
India says it has still held hundreds of meetings and wants the group to focus on development, energy and cooperation.
India will host the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 12-13, with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping expected to attend.
The summit has received far less public promotion than India’s 2023 G20 gathering, with 11 BRICS-tagged press releases versus 149 before the G20.
Officials and analysts link the subdued approach to India’s complicated ties with the United States, China and other BRICS members.
India has organized 350 lower-level BRICS meetings since assuming the group’s rotating presidency on Jan. 1.
India says its BRICS priorities include Global South development, professional mobility, resilient supply chains, energy and disaster-risk reduction.
- Who
- India and leaders of the BRICS member countries, including expected attendees Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
- What
- India is hosting the BRICS Leaders’ Summit.
- When
- Sept. 12-13; India assumed the rotating BRICS presidency on Jan. 1.
- Where
- New Delhi, India, at the capital’s main convention center.
- Why
- India is using BRICS to promote cooperation among emerging economies and address Global South development needs while avoiding excessive geopolitical signaling.
Reasons for a restrained summit
Reasons for active BRICS engagement
Public visibility
Reasons for a restrained summit
Analysts say limiting fanfare helps India avoid making BRICS appear central to its foreign policy or sending an unwanted signal to the United States.
Reasons for active BRICS engagement
India has promoted technical meetings and engagement with youth, academia and startups to broaden awareness and participation in BRICS.
Geopolitical positioning
Reasons for a restrained summit
India faces strained relations with the United States, tensions with China, a continuing border dispute and wider international conflicts, making a large spectacle diplomatically difficult.
Reasons for active BRICS engagement
Supporters of BRICS see it as a platform for amplifying emerging economies’ voices and promoting a more multipolar global order.
Summit significance
Reasons for a restrained summit
Analysts argue that India would not want to hype a bloc whose members face too many challenges and whose largest influential member is China.
Reasons for active BRICS engagement
Indian officials say BRICS and the G20 are not directly comparable, noting that India has hosted BRICS summits before and has conducted extensive preparations.
- Summit dates
- Sept. 12-13
- Host
- India
- Location
- New Delhi’s main convention center
- BRICS publicity
- The Ministry of External Affairs published 11 BRICS-tagged press releases between March 1 and Sept. 8.
- G20 comparison
- The ministry published 149 similarly tagged releases during the comparable period before the G20 summit.
- Lower-level meetings
- India says it organized 350 BRICS meetings after taking over the chairmanship on Jan. 1.
- Presidency theme
- “Building for resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.”