WATCH | ‘All set for BRICS!’: PM Modi posts Bharat Mandapam video as New Delhi gears up to welcome Putin, Xi Jinping

Prime Minister PM Narendra Modi on Thursday posted a video of illuminated Bharat Mandapam on X with the message ldquoAll set for BRICS 2026rdquo as New Delhi prepares to welcome leaders of the 11member grouping for the twoday meet beginning SaturdayAll set for BRICS 2026BricsIndia2026 pictwittercomnXqqoBmoAmmdash Narendra Modi narendramodi September 10 2026In a strategic balancing act triggered by escalating global trade tensions India is leveraging the summit to position BRICS as a complementary engine for economic growth while championing the Global Souths core developmental priorities most notably safeguarding food energy and supply chain securityWith New Delhi putting the finishing touches to the summit China has confirmed President Xi Jinpings attendance marking his first trip to India after a sevenyear gapIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Russian President Vladimir Putin South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are among the top leaders attending the crucial meet in the national capitalIndia is steering the BRICS grouping as a vital complementary platform to champion the Global Souths core developmental priorities top Indian officials told news agency PTI on ThursdayAs global trade disputes and geopolitical realignments create economic headwinds India is looking at addressing critical vulnerabilities in food security energy stability and resilient supply chains they saidBRICS faces geopolitical challenges ahead of New Delhi summitThe summit in New Delhi is taking place against the backdrop of a global economy facing the adverse impacts of the RussiaUkraine war the West Asia crisis especially the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the Trump administrations trade and tariff policiesWith just two days left before the summit it remains unclear whether the member nations of the grouping have reached consensus on a joint statement as differences between Iran and the United Arab Emirates UAE over the West Asia crisis persist The grouping operates under a framework of consensusBRICS originally comprising Brazil Russia India China and South Africa expanded in 2024 to include Egypt Ethiopia Iran the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia with Indonesia joining in 2025Belarus Bolivia Kazakhstan Cuba Malaysia Nigeria Thailand Uganda Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last yearBRICS has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world representing around 495 per cent of the global population around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of global tradeIndias chairship of the grouping has centred on four pillars resilience innovation cooperation and sustainabilityIndia sets resilience innovation and cooperation as key BRICS prioritiesUnder the resilience pillar India has been focusing on strengthening collective cooperation in areas such as health agriculture food energy disaster risk reduction and supply chains officials saidEnhancing cooperation in trade investment connectivity and high technology will also be high on the agenda of the summit they saidIndias BRICS chairship is guided by the theme Building for Resilience Innovation Cooperation and Sustainability reflecting its vision of a peoplecentric approach rooted in the spirit of humanity firstIn addition to these areas the leaders will exchange views on strengthening intraBRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance according to the Ministry of External Affairs MEAUnder Indias chairship this year over 350 meetings and highlevel engagements have been held in over 25 cities across the country to further strengthen the BRICS strategic partnership across three fundamental pillars political and security economic and financial and cultural and peopletopeople exchangesIndia is a founding member of BRICS and has previously held its chairship in 2012 2016 and 2021 India assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1 2026BRICS Summit schedule Key events planned across two daysAccording to the MEA the summit will begin at 235 pm on Saturday with a closeddoor session for BRICS member countries themed Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening MultilateralismFollowing the session leaders will tour the Bharat Innovates Exhibition scheduled to open at 425 pm At 505 pm the leaders will assemble on the lawns of Bharat Mandapam the summit venue for a family photo followed by a joint treeplanting ceremony The first days engagements will conclude with a gala dinner hosted by PM Modi at 730 pmOn Sunday leaders from BRICS member states partner nations and outreach invitees will arrive starting at 955 am followed by an official group photo at 1035 amThe opening session titled Resilience Innovation Cooperation and Sustainability Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth is scheduled to begin at 1050 am according to the schedule released by the MEAThe summit will culminate with the release of the New Delhi DeclarationFormalised at the 2006 UN General Assembly BRIC held its first summit in Yekaterinburg Russia in 2009The group expanded to BRICS after agreeing to admit South Africa during the 2010 UNGA Foreign Ministers meeting with South Africa joining its first summit in Sanya in 2011With PTI inputs