India Hosts 18th BRICS Summit as Member Rivalries Test Bloc

September 5, 2026 at 06:56 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

India hosts the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, gathering leaders from 11 member states. The meeting follows a May foreign ministers' gathering that ended without a joint statement due to disagreements over the U.S.-Iran conflict. India seeks to avoid a repeat failure as it chairs a bloc now riven by active military rivalries.

Key Facts

The 18th BRICS summit takes place in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, 2026.
India chairs BRICS in 2026, marking its fourth time hosting the summit.
The May 2026 BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in India ended without a joint statement.
BRICS has expanded from 5 to 11 members, with Saudi Arabia's formal confirmation still pending.
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, a BRICS member, and Iran retaliated against the UAE and Saudi Arabia, also BRICS members.

Summit Logistics

Presidents and prime ministers from Brazil, China, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, and other member states will converge on New Delhi for the 18th BRICS summit. The summit is scheduled for September 12 to 13, 2026. This is India's fourth time hosting the BRICS summit, with previous hosting in 2021 when the bloc had only five members.

Internal Conflicts

Barely two months after India took over as BRICS chair, the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, a BRICS member. Iran retaliated against the UAE and Saudi Arabia, both BRICS members. The May 2026 BRICS foreign ministers' meeting hosted by India ended without a joint statement due to disagreements over the West Asia crisis. Some officials worry the upcoming summit may also end without a joint statement, which would embarrass host India.

Expansion Challenges

BRICS has grown from five founding members to an 11-member bloc, though Saudi Arabia's formal confirmation remains pending. Reaching consensus was already difficult when India and China were at odds; now the bloc includes rivals actively engaged in military conflict. India must manage a group where member states have directly attacked each other, complicating diplomatic coordination.