Prime Minister Narendra Modi received several visiting leaders at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit.
The Prime Minister warmly welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Other participating leaders reached the summit venue.
India is conducting the two-day summit as BRICS Chair for 2026. The country has adopted the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’ for its chairship.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the theme reflects PM Modi’s people-focused approach and his emphasis on the principle of ‘Humanity First’.
The participating leaders will consider measures to deepen cooperation within BRICS and pursue areas of common interest. They will share their perspectives on important regional and international developments.
The discussions will focus on strengthening multilateral cooperation and addressing challenges that affect the wider global community.
The BRICS grouping consists of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its partner countries, however, include Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The summit will begin with a closed-door meeting of BRICS member countries. The meeting will focus on the theme, ‘Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism’.
The leaders will later attend the ‘Bharat Innovates Exhibition’. They will, however, participate in a family photograph and take part in a tree plantation programme.
PM Modi will host the visiting leaders at a dinner in the evening.
India previously chaired BRICS in 2012, 2016 and 2021 before assuming its fourth chairship on January 1, 2026.
The 2026 summit coincides with BRICS marking 20 years since its formation. This gives India a significant opportunity to advance cooperation and shape the grouping’s future priorities.
Also Read: BRICS Summit 2026: India-China Trade Deficit Expected To Feature In PM Modi-Xi Talks
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