BRICS member states and partner countries have begun arriving in New Delhi, India, ahead of the group’s 18th Summit scheduled to hold on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam.
The summit brings together 11 BRICS member countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates — alongside 10 partner countries.
Together, the BRICS members represent roughly 49 per cent of the world’s population and about 40 per cent of global GDP, highlighting the growing influence of the bloc in global economic and geopolitical affairs.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of Friday, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was expected to arrive later in the day.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive on Saturday at about 12:15 p.m., marking his first visit to India in almost seven years.
Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, who arrived in New Delhi on Friday, will represent President Bola Tinubu at the summit. He is expected to join other world leaders in discussions on major global issues and strengthening international cooperation.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo have also arrived in New Delhi, while Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will represent the United Arab Emirates.
Brazil will be represented by its Foreign Affairs Minister, Mauro Vieira.
Other high-level participants expected at the summit include United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are also expected to attend the BRICS summit in Delhi.
Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin and World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus are among other officials expected at the gathering.
Also expected are Cuba’s Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Belarusian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The 18th BRICS Summit is being held under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.”
The programme is expected to begin with a closed-door session for core BRICS members focused on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
Leaders will also tour the Bharat Innovates Exhibition, take part in a joint tree-planting ceremony and attend a gala dinner hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings.
On Sunday, Modi will welcome leaders from BRICS partner countries and outreach invitees for a broader session themed, “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
The summit is expected to provide an opportunity for member and partner countries to discuss global governance, economic cooperation, sustainability and other issues affecting developing nations.
Source: Indian Ministry of External Affairs
