Kumar Bahukhandi
Security arrangements in place around Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, as India prepares to receive leaders and high-level delegations from the expanded grouping. Photo: Internet
PM Narendra Modi to welcome leaders at Bharat Mandapam; global governance, multilateralism, innovation and inclusive growth to dominate two-day deliberations
Key Highlights
- New Delhi is set to host the two-day 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome leaders of the expanded 11-member grouping.
- The opening closed session will focus on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
- Innovation, resilience, sustainability and inclusive global growth will feature prominently in Sunday’s deliberations.
- Extensive ground and air-security measures have been introduced across Delhi and surrounding areas.
- Delhi airport has made special arrangements for international delegations and additional aircraft movements.
- The summit will highlight the growing role sought by emerging and developing economies in global governance.
New Delhi: India is preparing to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in the national capital, with extensive security and logistical arrangements being put in place for the two-day gathering of leaders from some of the world’s largest emerging economies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome BRICS leaders at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa among the prominent leaders expected to participate.
The summit will bring together the expanded BRICS grouping comprising Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The grouping has grown considerably in recent years. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined as full members from January 2024, while Indonesia became a member in January 2025. BRICS has also expanded its engagement through partner countries, widening the platform’s representation across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eurasia.
Global Governance and Inclusive Growth on Agenda
The leaders’ programme at Bharat Mandapam is scheduled to begin at 2.30 pm on Saturday with a closed session of BRICS member countries under the theme “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
The discussions are expected to focus on reform of global governance institutions, greater representation for developing economies, economic cooperation and major international and regional challenges.
Following the closed session, the leaders are scheduled to visit the Bharat Innovates Exhibition. A BRICS family photograph and a tree-plantation programme are also part of the programme, while Prime Minister Modi will host a gala dinner for the visiting leaders later in the evening.
On Sunday, BRICS leaders are scheduled to engage with representatives of partner countries before participating in an open session titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
The second day is expected to place greater emphasis on economic resilience, technological innovation, sustainable development and cooperation between emerging and developing economies.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had been invited by Modi to participate in the outreach session in Bangladesh’s capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC. According to the information available, however, Bangladesh will not participate in the session.
Preparatory discussions have also been taking place ahead of the leaders’ meeting, including a meeting of BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Mumbai.
Security Tightened Across Delhi
With several heads of state and high-level delegations arriving in the capital, security has been substantially strengthened across central Delhi and along routes expected to be used by the visiting leaders.
Special arrangements have also been made at Delhi airport to handle increased international traffic. These include additional capacity at Terminal 3, dedicated immigration facilities for BRICS participants and arrangements for the landing and parking of aircraft carrying international delegations.
Restrictions have also been placed on certain flying activities as part of the security arrangements surrounding the summit.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has restricted operations involving flying-training organisations and specified categories of aircraft in several neighbouring states from September 11 to September 13.
Operations involving drones, unmanned aerial vehicles and other aerial platforms have also been restricted within prescribed distances from Delhi during the summit period. The measures are intended to secure the airspace surrounding the national capital during the movement and stay of international leaders.
For India, the New Delhi summit comes at a time when the expanded BRICS is seeking a greater role for emerging and developing economies in shaping international institutions and economic decision-making.
As leaders gather at Bharat Mandapam, attention will therefore extend beyond the ceremonial aspects of the summit to whether the increasingly diverse BRICS membership can translate its growing global weight into common positions on multilateral reform, development, technology and economic cooperation.
