India Hosts BRICS Summit with Russia, Iran Leaders amid Global Tensions
Thestandard · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
India is hosting the two-day BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday, gathering leaders from major emerging economies amid ongoing global conflicts and economic uncertainty. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are expected to arrive as early as Friday, with both scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Chinese President Xi Jinping has been invited, though Beijing has yet to confirm his participation, which would mark his first visit to India since 2019 and represent the most significant step yet in normalizing relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following a deadly 2020 border clash . The summit takes place just weeks before Xi's anticipated visit to the United States on September 24 to meet President Donald Trump, adding geopolitical significance to the New Delhi gathering . Delhi authorities have declared Friday a city holiday and deployed heavy security across the capital, with residents urged to remain patient during the proceedings .
Key Points
- The BRICS summit runs September 12-13, 2026 in New Delhi, with India's low-key approach contrasting with the G20 summit hosted three years ago
- Xi Jinping's potential first visit to India since 2019 comes less than two weeks before his expected summit with Trump in the US on September 24
- India-China ties have been cautiously warming since a deadly 2020 military clash along their disputed Himalayan border, with flights, visas and high-level contacts gradually restored
- BRICS has expanded to 11 members including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, representing nations with sharply differing positions on regional conflicts
- The US remains India's biggest export market while Russia continues as a major arms and energy supplier, creating complex diplomatic balancing for New Delhi
Why It Matters
The BRICS summit represents a critical test of whether developing nations can articulate a unified voice on pressing global issues including the Ukraine conflict and Middle East tensions . For Hong Kong, the outcome could reshape trade and investment dynamics, as the expanded BRICS bloc increasingly positions itself as an alternative to Western-dominated financial institutions and trade frameworks .
The BRICS summit represents a critical test of whether developing nations can articulate a unified voice on pressing global issues including the Ukraine conflict and Middle East tensions . For Hong Kong, the outcome could reshape trade and investment dynamics, as the expanded BRICS bloc increasingly positions itself as an alternative to Western-dominated financial institutions and trade frameworks .