India hosts BRICS summit with Putin, Xi Jinping and other leaders arriving in New Delhi

India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, serving as a critical testing ground for the expanded 11-member bloc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds high-stakes bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. While the summit aims to boost economic cooperation, deep internal divisions over the Ukraine war, Middle East conflicts, and the unresolved India-China border challenge the group's geopolitical unity.

BRICS Summit New Delhi

• ▪The 18th BRICS Summit commenced in New Delhi, India, at the Bharat Mandapam venue, bringing together leaders from the expanded 11-member bloc
• ▪Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled 15 bilateral meetings over three days on the sidelines of the September 2026 BRICS Summit

Modi-Xi Bilateral Meeting

• ▪Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on September 12, 2026, to attend the 18th BRICS Summit and hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• ▪The bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on September 12, 2026, marks Xi's first visit to India since 2019
• ▪Prior to President Xi Jinping's arrival, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong stated that China would work with India to properly handle differences and maintain good-neighborly relations

India-China Border Normalization

• ▪While India and China achieved tactical disengagement at key clash points along the Line of Actual Control, full de-escalation remains unfulfilled with tens of thousands of heavily armed troops stationed in depth positions
• ▪India and China have gradually restored flights, visas, and high-level contacts, though deep mistrust remains over their contested frontier and a widening trade deficit

Modi-Putin Defense Cooperation

• ▪The defense agenda between India and Russia includes discussions on Russia's offer of its Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter, scaling up AK-203 assault rifle production, and expanding the BrahMos missile project
• ▪Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that 90 percent of transactions between Russia and its BRICS partner nations are now conducted in national currencies rather than the US dollar or euro
• ▪During their bilateral talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to enter negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy
• ▪Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks on September 11, 2026, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit

Modi-Pezeshkian Iran Conflict

• ▪The expiration of the US sanctions waiver in April 2026 has raised fresh questions over India's $120 million investment to equip and operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Iran's Chabahar Port
• ▪President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that US sanctions and recent military aggression by the US and Israel have pushed pressure on Iran to a critical and dangerous stage
• ▪Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on September 11, 2026, marking the first visit by an Iranian president to India in over eight years
• ▪During their meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked President Masoud Pezeshkian for participating in the summit despite challenging circumstances, as Iran remains in conflict with the US and Israel

BRICS Geopolitical Unity Challenges

• ▪Harsh V. Pant of India's Observer Research Foundation stated that the Middle East conflict will serve as a central fault line, turning the expanded membership of BRICS into a constraint on its cohesion
• ▪The expansion of BRICS to 11 members has increased its representation of the Global South but decreased the likelihood of achieving consensus, according to former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor

Debatable claims

• ▪India should proceed with its Chabahar Port investment despite US sanctions
• ▪The expansion of BRICS has weakened the bloc's geopolitical cohesion
• ▪India should purchase Russia's Su-57 stealth fighter jet