BRICS 2026 under India’s Chairship – Building Resilience, Shaping the Future
From India’s Chairship to a Shared Global Agenda
The 18th BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi from 11–13 September 2026 under India’s Chairship, marked a significant moment for the grouping as it completed two decades of cooperation and continued its evolution as an expanded platform of the Global South. Guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” India placed practical cooperation, inclusive growth, innovation and stronger multilateralism at the heart of its agenda. The adoption of the New Delhi Declaration gave this collective vision a clear direction, reaffirming the commitment of BRICS to a more representative, fair and responsive global order.
BRICS Business Forum: Turning Economic Strength into Global Solutions
“Make in India
Innovate in India
Scale for the World”
- PM Narendra Modi at the BRICS Business Forum, 11 September 2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
The BRICS Business Forum brought together leaders and business representatives from across the expanded BRICS grouping, setting the economic context for the Leaders’ Summit. The Forum saw the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, H.E. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, alongside senior representatives from Brazil and the UAE.
Addressing the Forum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined India’s role as a source of confidence amid global uncertainties and emphasised that today, BRICS countries represent 50% of the population, 40% of global GDP & 25% of global trade, indicating the increasing strength of BRICS. He called for deeper intra-BRICS trade, greater participation of women entrepreneurs, stronger economic connectivity and the removal of trade barriers. The message was clear: as BRICS expands its global relevance, its collective economic strength must translate into practical cooperation, stronger trade linkages and solutions with global impact.
Advancing Inclusive Global Governance
“We must transform the Global South
From rule-takers into rule-shapers”
- PM Narendra Modi during his welcome remarks at the BRICS Session on Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism, 12 September 2026
At the BRICS Session on Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism held on 12 September 2026 in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored India’s people-centric and Humanity First approach to BRICS cooperation. He called for a stronger voice for the Global South, not merely as rule-takers, but as rule-shapers and emphasised that BRICS must sustain its institutional momentum while contributing to meaningful global reforms. Proposing a BRICS Reform Roadmap with a focus on Representation, Responsiveness and Rule-Making, he also highlighted practical initiatives such as a Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network, translating the grouping’s vision for inclusive governance into actionable cooperation.
At the closing session, PM Modi underscored the need to make global governance more representative, responsive and inclusive, with the Global South playing a meaningful role in shaping the rules of the future. With the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, India’s BRICS Chairship provided a clear direction for translating shared resolve into concrete reforms and stronger multilateral cooperation. PM Modi also expressed gratitude to all BRICS members for their constructive participation and steadfast commitment.
From Vision to Impact
“BRICS: Ecosystem for Solutions”
- PM Narendra Modi during his closing remarks at the BRICS session on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, 13 September 2026, New Delhi
The BRICS discussions on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability brought together diverse perspectives on building a more resilient, innovative and inclusive future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the growing relevance, openness and inclusiveness of BRICS, while emphasising that cooperation must extend beyond governments to farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers, women, youth and citizens. From strengthening resilience in an interconnected world to ensuring inclusive access to technology and creating new opportunities for MSMEs, the sessions reflected India’s focus on making BRICS cooperation broader, more people-centric and impactful.
The closing session on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability brought the discussions towards a clear focus on implementation and impact. Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that BRICS is not merely a group of countries, but an ecosystem for solutions, calling for every outcome to be connected with timely action and last-mile impact. He also emphasised the need for BRICS frameworks to move beyond files and translate into real-life outcomes, reinforcing India’s focus on turning collective resolve into meaningful cooperation and shared progress.
Carrying the BRICS Spirit Forward
As India concludes its 2026 Chairship, the focus now moves from New Delhi to China, which will assume the BRICS Chairship for 2027. India’s Chairship has sought to strengthen BRICS as an open, inclusive and solution-oriented platform—one that connects collective outcomes with timely action and last-mile impact. The New Delhi Declaration and the initiatives advanced during the year provide a foundation for continued cooperation as BRICS enters its next chapter under China’s Chairship.
