18th BRICS Summit 2026 New Delhi: India's Chairship, New Delhi Declaration, and Global South Leadership

Why in News

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on 12–13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi — India's fourth time chairing the bloc (previous: 2012, 2016, 2021). The summit brings together leaders of 11 full member states and 10 partner countries. The expected outcome is the New Delhi Declaration, which will set the bloc's agenda on multilateral reform, climate finance, and Global South priorities.

Background

BRICS — the acronym coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 as "BRIC" — evolved into a formal intergovernmental forum at the first BRIC Leaders' Summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009). South Africa joined in 2010, creating the five-member BRICS. Over 17 annual summits, the agenda expanded from trade and investment coordination to political consultation, security, and development finance.

A landmark expansion occurred at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg (2023), where six countries were invited to join. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) formally joined on 1 January 2024. Indonesia became the 11th member on 1 January 2025 during Brazil's chairship.

The BRICS+ Partner Country framework was introduced at the 16th Summit in Kazan, Russia (2024), creating an associate category. Ten countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam — hold partner status.

India's BRICS Chairship History

• 2012 — 4th Summit, New Delhi ("Delhi Declaration")
• 2016 — 8th Summit, Goa ("Goa Declaration")
• 2021 — 13th Summit (virtual)
• 2026 — 18th Summit, New Delhi ("New Delhi Declaration")

Current Developments

India assumed the 2026 chairship on 1 January 2026. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar formally launched the logo, theme, and website on 13 January 2026. The theme — "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" — embeds the letters B, R, I, C, S. India's overarching vision phrase is "Humanity First."

The summit opened on 12 September preceded by the BRICS Business Forum and Women's Business Alliance (11 September) and the BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition at Bharat Mandapam. Leaders of 11 member states and partner nations are in attendance.

Key bilateral meetings on the sidelines:

• Modi–Putin: Bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030; civil nuclear cooperation; critical minerals; railways; fertiliser joint ventures; steel value chains. PM Modi gifted President Putin a Russian translation of the ancient Tamil classic Thirukkural.
• Modi–Pezeshkian (Iran): Regional stability and bilateral cooperation, including Chabahar port development.
• Modi–Guterres (UN Secretary-General): UN reform, climate action, and multilateral development bank (MDB) reform.

The New Delhi Declaration was being finalised by BRICS Sherpas as of 12 September, with India working to bridge differences over language on the West Asia conflict. India expressed confidence in reaching consensus before the summit closes on 13 September.

Key Facts

• Edition: 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit
• Dates: 12–13 September 2026
• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
• India's chairship number: 4th (2012, 2016, 2021, 2026)
• Theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"
• Vision phrase: "Humanity First"
• Members (11): Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (founding); Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE (joined Jan 2024); Indonesia (joined Jan 2025)
• Partner countries (10): Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
• NDB headquarters: Shanghai; India is a major borrower
• CRA pool: USD 100 billion (balance-of-payments facility)
• Expected outcome: New Delhi Declaration

Constitutional Provisions

India's treaty-making and external affairs powers rest in the Union List (Entry 13 — participation in international conferences and bodies; Entry 14 — treaties and agreements with foreign countries). Under Article 73, the Union's executive power extends to matters on which Parliament may legislate, encompassing foreign policy. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) lead BRICS engagement.

Article 51 (DPSP) directs the State to promote international peace and security, maintain just and honourable relations between nations, and encourage settlement of disputes by arbitration — foundational principles underlying India's multilateral engagement including BRICS.

Legal Framework

• Treaty of Fortaleza (2014): Established the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).
• BRICS Inter-Bank Cooperation Mechanism (IBCM): Framework for development-finance collaboration among BRICS national development banks.
• BRICS MoU on Innovation Cooperation: Framework for joint Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) partnerships.
• Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999: Governs India's obligations under the CRA mechanism.

Institutional Framework

New Development Bank (NDB): Multilateral development bank headquartered in Shanghai; has approved over 100 projects worth USD 30+ billion. Membership has expanded to include Bangladesh, Egypt, UAE, and Uruguay. India is among the largest borrowers.

BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA): A USD 100 billion swap facility among BRICS central banks to address short-term balance-of-payments crises. The non-IMF delinked portion is capped at 30% of each country's access limit.

BRICS Payment Task Force: Working on an alternative cross-border settlement mechanism (BRICS Pay) to reduce SWIFT dependence — a key deliverable under India's 2026 chairship.

BRICS Space Cooperation: ISRO (India), Roscosmos (Russia), CNSA (China), AEB (Brazil), and SANSA (South Africa) cooperate under the BRICS Joint Committee on Space Cooperation on Earth observation and satellite data sharing.

Economic Dimensions

BRICS collectively accounts for approximately 40% of global population, over 30% of global GDP (PPP terms), and around 25% of global goods trade. The 2024 expansion raised these shares significantly, with Saudi Arabia and UAE adding substantial hydrocarbon wealth and Indonesia contributing the world's 4th-largest population.

India's 2026 chairship economic priorities:

• MDB reform and enhanced climate-finance access for developing nations.
• Local currency trade settlement: India has activated INR settlement frameworks with Russia, UAE, and several ASEAN countries.
• Digital infrastructure and AI governance under the BRICS Digital Economy Working Group.
• Scaling the BRICS STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) Framework Programme.

India–Russia bilateral trade grew from USD 9 billion (2021) to over USD 65 billion (2025), driven by energy, fertilisers, and defence. The USD 100 billion target by 2030 discussed at the Modi–Putin bilateral implies ~50% growth.

Banking and financial angle: BRICS's push for local currency settlement directly impacts Indian banks facilitating INR-rouble and INR-dirham trade. NDB's AAA-rated bonds can be listed on Indian exchanges, deepening India's capital markets. The CRA reduces India's reliance on IMF conditionality-linked emergency funding.

Environmental Dimensions

India's BRICS chairship agenda includes a BRICS Climate and Sustainable Development Working Group, advocating for developed countries to honour the USD 300 billion annual climate finance pledge made at COP29 (Baku, 2024). BRICS nations host major biodiversity hotspots and collectively account for a large share of global renewable energy capacity additions. The NDB has earmarked 40% of its portfolio for climate-related projects.

International Relations

• Global South leadership: India frames BRICS as a platform for equitable multipolarity — a rules-based order that is not dominated by Western institutions.
• China–India dynamics: The two nations restored diplomatic normalcy post-Galwan in 2024. Border disengagement and the trade imbalance (~USD 100 billion deficit in India's favour of China) remain live issues within BRICS.
• Russia–India "privileged strategic partnership": Deepened through energy (crude oil), defence (MRO, joint production), and fertilisers, notwithstanding Western pressure.
• Iran and West Asia: Iran's full BRICS membership since 2024 and the ongoing West Asia conflict created diplomatic complexity in finalising the New Delhi Declaration's language.
• De-dollarisation: While a single BRICS currency remains aspirational, the summit is advancing practical local-currency settlement frameworks.

Challenges

• Internal heterogeneity: 11 members with divergent political systems, economic models, and foreign policy priorities make consensus difficult.
• Chinese dominance: China accounts for roughly half of BRICS' collective GDP, raising concerns about the bloc becoming a vehicle for Beijing's strategic interests.
• West Asia conflict language: Differences between Iran and UAE threatened consensus on the joint communiqué.
• NDB governance: Balancing original and newer shareholders; sovereign debt distress among some borrowers.
• Gradualism vs. urgency: India's cautious approach to de-dollarisation may clash with more aggressive Russian and Chinese timelines.

Government Initiatives

• BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition: Technology and start-up showcase at Bharat Mandapam alongside the summit.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as BRICS model: India is promoting its UPI, Aadhaar, and DigiLocker stack as a blueprint for BRICS+ developing nations.
• BRICS STI Framework: India announced joint research programmes in AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors.
• BRICS+ engagement: India leveraged partner-country status to strengthen ties with Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, and African nations.

Way Forward

The Economic Survey 2025-26 highlights multipolarity and South-South cooperation as pillars of India's external economic engagement. The NITI Aayog has recommended leveraging BRICS for technology transfer in clean energy and digital infrastructure. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has noted the importance of BRICS for reforming IMF voting quotas to reflect current economic realities. India's BRICS agenda should focus on: (a) operationalising BRICS Pay settlement; (b) scaling NDB climate finance; (c) harmonising standards under BRICS Digital Economy frameworks; and (d) building consensus for UNSC reform to reflect the interests of the Global South.

Previous UPSC Questions

UPSC Prelims 2014 tested facts about the BRICS New Development Bank (headquarters and initial subscribed capital). UPSC Mains GS-II 2016: "India's relations with the world are governed more by geography than history" — BRICS and SCO were relevant contexts.

Possible Mains Questions

1. The expansion of BRICS from 5 to 11 members transforms it from an economic grouping to a geopolitical bloc. Critically examine the implications for India's foreign policy. (GS-II, 15 marks)
2. "BRICS is neither anti-West nor pro-China — it is India's platform for equitable multipolarity." Evaluate this claim in the context of the 18th BRICS Summit's agenda under India's 2026 chairship. (GS-II, 15 marks)

Possible Prelims MCQs

1. Q1. Which country joined BRICS as a full member effective 1 January 2025?
   (a) Saudi Arabia   (b) Indonesia   (c) Vietnam   (d) Nigeria
   Answer: (b). Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE joined on 1 January 2024. Indonesia joined on 1 January 2025. Vietnam and Nigeria are BRICS+ partner countries.
2. Q2. The New Development Bank (NDB) of BRICS has its headquarters in:
   (a) New Delhi   (b) Beijing   (c) Shanghai   (d) Johannesburg
   Answer: (c) Shanghai.
3. Q3. Regarding the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA): 1. Total pool = USD 100 billion. 2. Non-IMF delinked access capped at 30%. 3. Managed by the NDB. Which is/are correct?
   (a) 1 only   (b) 1 and 2 only   (c) 2 and 3 only   (d) 1, 2 and 3
   Answer: (b). The CRA is USD 100 billion; non-IMF delinked portion capped at 30%. It is NOT managed by the NDB — the CRA is a separate central-bank arrangement.
4. Q4. Under India's 2026 BRICS chairship, the overarching vision phrase (distinct from the theme) is:
   (a) Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam   (b) Humanity First   (c) One Earth, One Family   (d) Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas
   Answer: (b) "Humanity First."
5. Q5. The BRICS Partner Country framework was introduced at which summit?
   (a) 15th, Johannesburg 2023   (b) 16th, Kazan 2024   (c) 17th, Rio de Janeiro 2025   (d) 18th, New Delhi 2026
   Answer: (b) 16th Summit, Kazan 2024 (Russia's chairship).

Essay Dimensions

1. From economics to geopolitics: The evolution of BRICS as a platform for multipolar world order.
2. De-dollarisation: Economic logic, geopolitical risks, and India's gradualist approach.
3. South-South cooperation and the limits of solidarity: Why BRICS must transcend rhetoric to deliver development outcomes.
4. India as bridge-builder at BRICS: Balancing Russia, China, and the West in a fragmented global order.
5. Climate justice and the Global South: BRICS as a platform for equitable climate finance.

Interview Questions

1. India has chaired BRICS four times. What tangible outcomes has India secured — beyond diplomatic optics?
2. China dominates BRICS economically. How should India manage this asymmetry while advancing the bloc?
3. Some argue BRICS is becoming a tool for Russia and Iran to evade Western sanctions. How should India respond?
4. What is India's position on a BRICS reserve currency, and why has it taken a cautious stance?
5. How does India's BRICS engagement complement or complicate its Quad membership?

FAQ

What does BRICS stand for?

BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — the five founding members. The acronym was coined by economist Jim O'Neill at Goldman Sachs in 2001 as "BRIC." South Africa joined in 2010. Though the bloc now has 11 members, the original acronym is retained.

How many BRICS members are there in 2026?

11 full members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (founding); Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE (joined Jan 2024); Indonesia (joined Jan 2025). Additionally, 10 countries hold BRICS+ partner status.

What is the New Development Bank?

The New Development Bank (NDB), informally called the "BRICS Bank," is a multilateral development bank established by the Treaty of Fortaleza (2014). Headquartered in Shanghai, it funds infrastructure and sustainable development. India is among its largest borrowers.

What is India's priority at the 18th BRICS Summit?

India's 2026 chairship priorities include MDB reform, climate finance for the Global South, local currency trade settlement, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) sharing, and the BRICS STI (Science, Technology, Innovation) agenda. The New Delhi Declaration is the expected outcome document.

Further Reading

• Official BRICS India 2026 Website (brics2026.gov.in)
• Ministry of External Affairs — BRICS
• New Development Bank (NDB)