What Is BRICS? Delhi Prepares for 18th Summit as Group Expands to 11 Members

Source: नवभारत टाइम्स | Original Published At: 2026-09-10 11:40:54 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS is a multilateral grouping of 11 emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
• The group began as BRIC with Brazil, Russia, India, and China; its first foreign ministers' meeting took place during the 2006 UN General Assembly, and the first summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg.
• South Africa joined the grouping, turning BRIC into BRICS, with participation in the third summit in 2011.
• Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates became full members in January 2024, and Indonesia joined in January 2025.
• India holds the BRICS presidency in 2026 and is scheduled to host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi on 12-13 September 2026.
• BRICS aims to strengthen economic and financial cooperation among members and to make global governance more equitable, including reform of institutions such as the UN, IMF, and WTO.
• The article presents BRICS as important for UPSC and general knowledge preparation because it relates to India's foreign policy, the Global South, and global economic governance.