BRICS leaders gather for summit in New Delhi

Source: The Morning Star | Original Published At: 2026-09-11 00:00:00 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS leaders began arriving in New Delhi for a weekend summit.
• The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and United States trade sanctions are expected to be high on the agenda.
• Host India is seeking to balance its ties with China and Russia against its partnerships with the United States and other Western powers.
• BRICS has expanded to 11 members representing about half the world’s population and a large share of global energy, resources, and economic output.
• Differing regional priorities and varying relationships with Washington make a unified BRICS response to conflicts difficult.
• Reducing dependence on the US dollar remains a major issue, with some members increasing trade in local currencies and developing alternative payment systems.
• BRICS has called for changes to global financial institutions, greater representation for developing countries, and alternatives to Western-dominated systems.