The 18th BRICS Summit kicks off in New Delhi under India's chairship, with leaders arriving at Bharat Mandapam. PM Modi held bilateral talks with his Ethiopian counterpart, discussing defence, investment, and clean energy cooperation.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday as the 18th BRICS Summit begins under India’s chairship. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan also arrived at the venue.
Summit Agenda and India's Chairship
Leaders representing the BRICS nations at the summit will hold a closed session on "Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism" at the Summit Hall. The leaders will also witness the Bharat Innovates Exhibition.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. India's Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.
Expanded BRICS and Global Cooperation
BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges. The grouping currently comprises 11 countries -- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.
India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.
For India, the 2026 Chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.
PM Modi Holds Bilateral Meetings
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings. With his Ethiopian counterpart he discussed defence, investment linkages, critical minerals and clean energy with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, stating that the two nations are taking an “old friendship into new frontiers.”
“India and Ethiopia are taking an old friendship into new frontiers! Delighted to welcome PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali on his first visit to India. Today’s talks covered: Defence. Capacity building. Investment linkages. Critical minerals. Clean energy. Healthcare. Together, we will also strengthen India-Africa ties and amplify the voice of the Global South,” PM Modi posted on X. Following his meeting with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, PM Modi hailed the growing defence partnership and expanding two-way investments between the two nations. (ANI)
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