UN chief Guterres to visit India for BRICS Summit on September 12
Synopsis
With conflicts raging in Ukraine and the Gulf, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres heads to India for the BRICS Summit on 12 September — likely his last shot at face time with Putin and Xi before his tenure ends in December. Both leaders are skipping the UN General Assembly, making this summit an unexpectedly critical diplomatic window.
Key Takeaways
Antonio Guterres will visit India for the BRICS Summit starting 12 September , confirmed by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric .
This will be Guterres' fifth visit to India and his second in 2025 , following his attendance at the India-AI Impact Summit in February.
Presidents Vladimir Putin , Xi Jinping , and Masoud Pezeshkian are confirmed attendees; both Putin and Xi are skipping the UN General Assembly this month.
Guterres ends his tenure as UN Secretary-General in December , making BRICS potentially his last formal engagement with the Russian and Chinese leaders.
India , as BRICS Chair, has set the summit theme as 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' .
Leaders of Gulf adversaries Iran and the UAE are both expected at the summit, amid active regional tensions.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to India next week to attend the BRICS Summit, beginning 12 September, where he is expected to meet leaders of major emerging economies, according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Dujarric confirmed on Tuesday that the visit is scheduled and that a formal announcement is forthcoming.
A Pivotal Diplomatic Moment
The summit is shaping up as one of the most consequential multilateral gatherings of the year. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are all confirmed to attend, alongside leaders of the United Arab Emirates — making this a rare convergence of Gulf adversaries Iran and the UAE on a shared platform.
Notably, this may be Guterres' last opportunity as Secretary-General to hold formal or informal discussions with Putin and Xi, as both leaders are expected to skip the annual high-level session of the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres ends his tenure as UN head in December.
Guterres' India Connect
For Guterres, this will be his fifth visit to India and his second this year. He previously attended the India-AI Impact Summit in February. Guterres was also present at the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, but did not hold a formal bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines.
India's BRICS Chairship and Summit Theme
India holds the BRICS Chair this year and has set the summit's theme as 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' — a formulation closely aligned with the reform agenda Guterres has championed across his decade-long tenure at the UN. The ten-member grouping convenes at a fraught moment globally, with active conflicts in Ukraine and the Gulf region casting a shadow over the proceedings.
What to Watch
With Guterres in the final stretch of his term and key global flashpoints unresolved, his bilateral engagements on the sidelines — particularly with Putin and Xi — will be closely tracked by diplomats. The BRICS summit also provides a rare platform for dialogue between Iran and the UAE, whose leaders are both expected to attend despite ongoing regional tensions.
Point of View
The India summit is the last multilateral arena where the UN chief can engage both leaders before his decade in office closes. That geometry matters: the UN's credibility on Ukraine and the Middle East depends partly on whether Guterres can keep lines open to all major parties. The BRICS platform, once dismissed in Western capitals as a rival bloc, has quietly become an indispensable back-channel. India's chairship gives New Delhi a rare moment to position itself as the convener the world still talks to — on all sides.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visiting India?
Guterres is visiting India to attend the BRICS Summit beginning 12 September, where he is expected to meet leaders of major emerging economies. His spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed the visit on Tuesday, saying a formal announcement would follow.
Which world leaders are attending the BRICS Summit in India?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are confirmed to attend, along with the leader of the United Arab Emirates. India holds the BRICS Chair this year and is hosting the summit.
Why is this BRICS summit significant for Guterres?
It is likely Guterres' last opportunity to meet Putin and Xi as UN Secretary-General, since both leaders are skipping the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres' tenure ends in December 2025.
How many times has Guterres visited India?
This will be Guterres' fifth visit to India and his second in 2025. His earlier visit this year was for the India-AI Impact Summit held in February.
What is the theme of the BRICS Summit 2025?
India, as BRICS Chair, has set the summit theme as 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.' The summit convenes against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Gulf region.
