Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 13 September 2026, met President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with the two leaders agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement across development cooperation, capacity building, youth skilling, agriculture, and clean energy.

What Modi Said

'Delighted to meet President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. Congratulated Burundi on assuming the Chair of the African Union. We discussed strengthening India-Burundi ties in development cooperation, capacity building, youth skilling, agriculture and clean energy,' Modi posted on X.

India's congratulations to Burundi came as the East African nation recently assumed the African Union (AU) Chairpersonship — a significant diplomatic moment that Modi chose to acknowledge directly.

India-Africa Forum Summit and Global South Cooperation

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders recalled India's instrumental role in securing the African Union's inclusion in the G20 during India's presidency in 2023. They underscored that the India-AU partnership remains a cornerstone of collaboration within the Global South.

The two leaders also discussed convening the 4th India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) at a mutually convenient date at the earliest. Modi commended AU leadership for its successful response to the recent Ebola outbreak, while the AU Chairperson acknowledged India's medical assistance to Africa CDC in managing the outbreak, the MEA stated on X.

Bilateral Ties: Areas of Focus

The MEA noted that India-Burundi relations 'continue to be defined by warmth, solidarity and shared developmental aspirations.' The two leaders reviewed cooperation in economic development, agricultural modernisation, healthcare, and capacity-building initiatives. This bilateral framework reflects India's broader South-South cooperation philosophy, which has gained strategic emphasis under Modi's foreign policy doctrine.

BRICS Summit Context

India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit as BRICS Chair in 2026, with the two-day gathering held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The summit brought together leaders from BRICS member states — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates — alongside partner countries including Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Modi held as many as 15 formal bilateral meetings with visiting heads of state and government between Friday and Sunday afternoon, in addition to a series of pull-aside engagements with world leaders and heads of international institutions attending the summit's Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue segment.

What Comes Next

The early convening of IAFS-IV will be a key deliverable to watch as India seeks to institutionalise its Africa outreach ahead of the next multilateral cycle. Enhanced engagement with Burundi — a country at the intersection of East African geopolitics and AU leadership — signals India's intent to deepen ties beyond the continent's larger economies.