India’s 2026 BRICS chairship will focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability ahead of the New Delhi summit on September 12-13, writes Prabhat Kumar, High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho.
The New Delhi BRICS Summit, scheduled to take place on September 12 and 13, 2026, will be attended by leaders of BRICS member countries, partner countries and outreach invitees, as well as heads of several international organisations. India looks forward to welcoming President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to the Summit.
The theme of this year's BRICS Summit is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The theme is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of “Humanity First” and reflects India's commitment to placing people at the centre of the BRICS agenda. Accordingly, this year's Summit will adopt a distinctly people-centric approach, with a focus on how BRICS can contribute to improving the lives and livelihoods of people across the Global South.
BRICS has evolved considerably since its establishment. It now comprises 11 member countries and 10 partner countries. The grouping expanded during South Africa's BRICS presidency in 2023, with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Indonesia subsequently joined as a member country.
