India's 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for 12-13 September 2026 in New Delhi, is expected to deliver significant diplomatic outcomes as the country wraps up a presidency marked by over 350 official engagements spanning ministers, think tanks, civil society, and business bodies. A detailed analysis by a former Indian diplomat underscores BRICS's growing centrality to New Delhi's foreign policy calculus, even as global expectations from the annual gathering remain tempered by geopolitical turbulence.

BRICS and India's Strategic Autonomy

According to the analysis published by the Politeia Research Foundation (PRF), BRICS provides India a platform to preserve strategic autonomy, consolidate its leadership role in the Global South, and deepen cultural, economic, and diplomatic ties with key countries and regions. Former Indian diplomat Rajiv Bhatia, the report's author, describes the grouping as occupying 'a special place' in 21st-century global governance architecture — despite being an informal forum rather than a treaty-based organisation.

Bhatia acknowledges the divergence among analysts: 'Some dismiss the grouping as a talk shop, while others are convinced that its composition, philosophy, and ambition warrant special attention.' His own assessment leans toward the latter, noting that BRICS has played a significant role in world affairs at a time when other plurilateral bodies such as the G20, G7, and SCO have struggled to gain prominence.

India's Presidency: Scale and Ambition

India assumed the BRICS chair in January 2026 and has since driven an ambitious agenda under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability'. The seven priorities embedded in this theme have shaped official consultations and the documents emerging from them, reflecting a deliberate effort to deepen and diversify practical cooperation among member states.

Bhatia notes that Indian officials have drawn on their experience hosting the G20 Summit in September 2023 to position the Delhi BRICS Summit as a major international event. However, he points out a notable shift in approach: unlike the G20, where India prominently pushed the 'People's G20' branding, New Delhi has refrained from adopting a comparable mass-outreach framing for BRICS.

What Prime Minister Modi Has Said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has framed India's BRICS presidency in continuity with its G20 stewardship. As quoted in Bhatia's report: 'Just as we brought inclusivity to our G20 Presidency and placed the concerns of the Global South at the forefront of the agenda, similarly, during our Presidency of BRICS, we will advance this forum with a people-centric approach and the spirit of ‘Humanity First’.'

The framing signals that New Delhi intends to use BRICS as a vehicle for amplifying the voice of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDCs) — a constituency India has increasingly sought to lead on the global stage.

Challenges and Tempered Expectations

Despite India's intensive groundwork, Bhatia cautions that 'given the turbulence and tensions on the international scene today, expectations from the annual gathering of BRICS nations are low.' The grouping itself faces serious internal challenges, including the complexity of integrating new member states and navigating divergent geopolitical interests among its core members.

This is the first BRICS summit hosted by India and comes at a moment when the bloc's expanded membership and evolving agenda are being tested by a fractured global order. How the Delhi Declaration is received — and whether it moves beyond aspirational language to concrete deliverables — will be the key measure of India's presidency.

What Comes Next

All eyes will be on the outcomes of the 12-13 September summit, particularly any joint statements on trade, multilateral reform, and Global South priorities. The summit's success or otherwise will also shape India's positioning ahead of future multilateral engagements. Analysts will watch whether the Delhi Declaration translates BRICS's expanding ambitions into verifiable commitments.