BRICS leaders meet in India as wars and US tensions test the bloc

Sep 10, 2026

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts the 11-member BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026. The summit is heavily tested by geopolitical conflicts, particularly the U.S.-led war on Iran, which has split members Iran and the UAE. While China and Russia seek to use the bloc to counter Western dominance and promote de-dollarization, India balances its Western partnerships. The event also marks Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to India in seven years.

BRICS summit in New Delhi

▪Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the New Delhi summit venue, resulting in traffic restrictions and diversions
▪Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, focusing on trade, investment, and global conflicts
▪The BRICS summit in New Delhi brought together leaders from 11 member nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

Iran-UAE conflict over war

▪The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran in August 2026 after being hit by Iranian missiles
▪The U.S.-led war on Iran, triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, has split the BRICS membership, with Iran and the UAE on opposing sides
▪The conflict in Iran has led to a virtual shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, pushing crude oil prices to over $100 a barrel

Xi Jinping visit to India

▪Chinese President Xi Jinping visited New Delhi for the BRICS summit, marking his first visit to India in seven years
▪The visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping was expected to include bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review efforts to stabilize relations after border tensions escalated in 2020

De-dollarization through national currencies

▪BRICS members discussed reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar by promoting the use of their own national currencies in trade and payments
▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly backed expanding the use of national currencies in trade among BRICS members to shield against economic pressure

Western dominance reduction efforts

▪China and Russia view the BRICS bloc as a strategic vehicle to reduce Western dominance and counter United States global influence
▪Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the BRICS Business Forum that the grouping is not directed against anyone and that Moscow remains open to global cooperation

Joint declaration negotiation challenges

▪In May 2026, BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement regarding the Iran war, forcing host India to issue a chair's summary instead
▪Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that bilateral differences between the UAE and Iran had a negative impact on drafting a joint BRICS declaration