BRICS Delhi Summit: Divisions and Trump Shadow Shape Agenda

Source: BBC News | Original Published At: 2026-09-11 09:38:23 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS leaders are meeting in Delhi, with India hosting and leaders from China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran participating, while Saudi Arabia attends as an invited member.
• The summit is taking place amid uncertainty over US policy, tariffs, and the war in Iran, but a unified anti-US consensus statement is considered unlikely.
• Differences among India, China, Russia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates over relations with Washington complicate consensus-building within the expanded bloc.
• BRICS achievements highlighted include the New Development Bank, the $100 billion contingency reserve arrangement, and efforts to expand cross-border payments in local currencies.
• The bloc is expected to continue advocating reforms of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank, while positioning itself as a voice for developing countries.
• The summit will also feature bilateral meetings, including between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• For India, hosting the summit offers an opportunity to strengthen its claim to leadership of the global south, though it faces China's broader influence in developing regions.