BRICS Summit 2026: Delhi Police rehearses security, traffic plan across 7 zones
Synopsis
With the 18th BRICS Summit just days away, Delhi Police has stress-tested every convoy route from the airport to Bharat Mandapam across 7 zones and 27 sectors. It is India's fourth turn as BRICS Chair — and the bloc's 20th anniversary year — raising the diplomatic stakes well above a routine multilateral gathering.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Traffic Police held a full security and traffic rehearsal on 1 September 2026 ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit .
Delegate routes have been divided into 7 zones and 27 sectors from the airport to Bharat Mandapam .
The summit is scheduled for 12–13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam , New Delhi .
India holds the BRICS Chair for 2026 — its fourth — under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.
BRICS now comprises 11 member nations and marks its 20th anniversary in 2026.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has launched a parallel citywide cleanliness and beautification drive along delegate routes.
Delhi Traffic Police conducted a full-scale rehearsal on 1 September to finalise security and traffic arrangements ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for 12–13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The exercise involved senior officers and traffic personnel and was designed to stress-test convoy movement routes for foreign delegates while keeping disruption to Delhi commuters to a minimum.
How the City Has Been Divided
Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said the entire corridor — from the airport to delegate hotels and Bharat Mandapam — has been carved into seven zones and 27 sectors. 'Experienced Inspectors, Assistant Commissioners of Police and other traffic personnel will be deployed,' he said. 'The rehearsal is being conducted to identify the challenges that may arise in traffic management, so that we can understand and address them in advance and ensure minimum inconvenience to the people of Delhi.'
Scale of the Summit
India holds the BRICS Chair for 2026 — its fourth chairship overall, following stints in 2012, 2016, and 2021. The summit will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner nations alongside outreach invitees. BRICS currently groups 11 major emerging-market and developing economies: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The year 2026 also marks the bloc's 20th anniversary since its establishment.
Theme and Agenda
India's chairship is anchored to the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. According to a 27 August statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, the theme reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of 'Humanity First'. Over the two days, leaders are expected to discuss strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation and share perspectives on global and regional issues of mutual importance.
City Preparations Beyond Traffic
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has simultaneously launched a citywide cleanliness and beautification drive covering key venues and delegate routes. The initiative includes stray animal control and the sprucing up of roads that convoys will use — standard practice ahead of major multilateral events hosted in the capital.
What Comes Next
With the summit less than a fortnight away, further rehearsals and final security sweeps are expected across the designated zones. Delhi residents should anticipate intermittent traffic diversions, particularly along airport-to-city corridors, in the days leading up to and during 12–13 September.
Point of View
27 sectors, senior ACP-level deployment — signals that New Delhi is treating this as one of its most logistically complex diplomatic events in recent years. That is not incidental: India's fourth BRICS chairship, coinciding with the bloc's 20th anniversary and its expansion to 11 members, carries outsized symbolism at a moment when the Global South's multilateral architecture is under acute scrutiny. What mainstream coverage tends to underplay is the civilian cost of such security theatre — Delhi's commuters will bear real disruption for days. The MCD beautification drive alongside is also a reminder that India's summit diplomacy is as much about optics as substance.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 18th BRICS Summit being held?
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled for 12 and 13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. India is hosting the summit as the BRICS Chair for 2026.
Why did Delhi Police conduct a traffic rehearsal ahead of the BRICS Summit?
Delhi Traffic Police held the rehearsal on 1 September to identify and resolve potential traffic management challenges along delegate convoy routes before the summit begins. The exercise covered corridors from the airport to delegate hotels and Bharat Mandapam.
How has Delhi been divided for BRICS Summit security?
The entire delegate movement corridor has been split into 7 zones and 27 sectors, with experienced Inspectors and Assistant Commissioners of Police assigned to each, according to Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary.
What is India's role in BRICS 2026?
India is the BRICS Chair for 2026 — its fourth chairship after 2012, 2016, and 2021. The chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Humanity First' vision.
Which countries are part of BRICS in 2026?
BRICS currently has 11 member nations: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The bloc also marks its 20th anniversary in 2026.
