The Economic Times (India)
Centre-right
BRICS Summit: Stage set at Bharat Mandapam
New Delhi: The national capital has been decked up with posters and illuminated installations as India prepares to host the BRICS Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam on September 12-13.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the high-profile Summit, which brings together heads of state, foreign delegates, heads of international organisations, and key dignitaries representing member states, partner countries, and outreach invitees.India holds the BRICS Chair for the 2026 edition, with proceedings guided by the official theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability".The alliance has undergone a transformative evolution since its origin as the BRIC grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which convened its first Foreign Ministers' meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006 and held its inaugural summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.The bloc expanded to BRICS following South Africa's admission in 2011, and later underwent a transformative expansion by welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE as full members in January 2024, followed by Indonesia in January 2025.Today, featuring 11 full member states alongside an expanding array of partner nations, the alliance commands significant global economic and diplomatic influence.Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the summit, marking his second visit to India in under a year following the annual bilateral summit in New Delhi in December 2025. PM Modi renewed the invitation to President Putin in person when the two leaders met at the SCO summit in Bishkek on 31 August.Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to attend, though China has not formally confirmed his participation. If President Xi visits, it would mark his first visit to India since the 2019 informal summit in Mamallapuram with PM Modi, with a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Xi on the sidelines widely anticipated.The summit's prominent roster of attendees includes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will also take part, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will likely participate, though a formal announcement remains pending.Ahead of the high-profile movement of global leaders, Delhi Police have already identified more than 35 roads where traffic will be controlled or diverted as part of the summit arrangements. These restrictions will primarily affect central, south, and adjoining parts of Delhi, with temporary stoppages expected during the movement of VIP motorcades.According to the complete itinerary, the summit schedule begins on Saturday, 12 September 2026, with the arrival of BRICS leaders from member countries at the Bharat Mandapam.The leaders will then assemble at the Summit Hall for a closed session for BRICS member countries titled "Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism".The leaders of BRICS member countries will then proceed to witness the "Bharat Innovates Exhibition (Leaders of BRICS Member Countries)", followed by a family photo on the outside lawns and a joint tree plantation ceremony. The day's official engagement will culminate in a gala dinner hosted by PM Modi at Bharat Mandapam.On Sunday, 13 September 2026, the arrival of leaders, heads of government, and heads of delegation of BRICS partner countries and outreach invitees will be followed by a family photo. The session titled "Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth" will then commence in the Summit Hall of Bharat Mandapam.
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