BRICS Leaders Meet in New Delhi Amid Global Tensions

Leaders of the BRICS nations convened in New Delhi on Saturday, September 12, 2026, for a summit focused on trade, investment, and global conflicts, as the bloc seeks to expand its influence in shaping the global agenda for emerging and developing countries. Hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the meeting brings together Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and counterparts from the other eight BRICS members. The summit is taking place amid ongoing wars in Ukraine and West Asia, along with rising U.S.-China tensions, which are testing the bloc's ability to find common ground among countries with competing geopolitical interests. A key test for India will be whether it can secure a joint statement from leaders at the summit, as BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement in May over the war in West Asia involving Iran, a BRICS member. Ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Modi met separately with President Putin and President Pezeshkian in New Delhi on Friday, September 11, 2026.