World leaders arrive in Delhi for BRICS summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and several other leaders arrived in Delhi on Friday to attend the two-day BRICS summit that gets underway from September 12.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo and Vice President of Nigeria Sen. Kashim Shettima have also reached the national capital for the mega conclave.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13. India assumed its fourth BRICS Chairship on January 1. The year 2026 also marks a milestone as BRICS completes 20 years since its establishment.
“Warmly welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Jayant Singh at the airport. India and South Africa share warm and historic ties anchored in a Strategic Partnership. Our commitment as BRICS partners to the Global South remains steadfast. #BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026 #IndiaBRICSChairship,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X.
On President El-Sisi’s arrival, it said, “Warmly welcome President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Sanjay Seth at the airport. India and Egypt share deep bonds of friendship, as we work together to build a stronger BRICS partnership. #BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026 #IndiaBRICSChairship.”
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.
BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade.
In a media statement, the MEA had said India’s BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme of ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of ‘Humanity First’.
Russian President Putin arrived in Delhi on a three-day visit early in the morning.
“Warmly welcome President Vladimir Putin of Russia for the 18th BRICS Summit. He was received by MoS Kirtivardhan Singh at the airport. India and Russia share multifaceted and longstanding ties anchored in Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. #BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026 #IndiaBRICSChairship,” the MEA said.
Iranian President Pezeshkian also arrived in the national capital. Besides attending the summit, he will hold bilateral talks with PM Modi to advance two-way trade and strengthen overall ties.
It is Pezeshkian’s first visit to India as president. The visit assumes significance as it comes amid a sudden spike in tensions in West Asia following the US slapping new punitive economic measures against Iran.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and their counterparts from Burunudi, Ethiopia and Nigeria have also reached Delhi.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Chief Zou Jiayi have also reached the capital for the summit.
