African business leaders attending the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday, 12 September 2026 praised India's economic growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, expressing confidence that the country could achieve its 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision ahead of schedule. The remarks came on the sidelines of the multilateral gathering, which has drawn heads of state and delegates from 11 member countries and 10 partner nations to the Indian capital.

Nigeria highlights India as major employer

Idehai Frederick, Chairman of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN), said that India and Nigeria have enjoyed friendly relations for decades, underpinned by significant economic and trade ties. 'India is the second-largest employer of workers after our government,' Frederick said, adding that he expected bilateral trade and economic cooperation to deepen further.

Frederick praised PM Modi's broad developmental vision, saying, 'I believe India will achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 ahead of the target.' He noted that the impact of Modi's leadership was visible across India's domestic policies, global partnerships, and its stewardship of the BRICS grouping.

Ethiopia sees fresh momentum in ties

Daniel Tiruneh, Founder and Managing Director of Abyssinia Business Network (ABN), highlighted longstanding relations between India and Ethiopia spanning trade, investment, innovation, and education. Tiruneh noted that PM Modi had visited Ethiopia a few months prior, a trip that reportedly injected fresh momentum into bilateral engagement.

'The impact is also visible in BRICS, which is an important platform for Ethiopia,' Tiruneh said, underscoring the grouping's significance for newer member states seeking a voice in multilateral economic governance.

BRICS 2026 summit context

India is hosting the 2026 BRICS summit at a time when the expanded bloc — which now includes countries such as Ethiopia, Egypt, and the UAE alongside founding members — is seeking to position itself as a counterweight in global economic and diplomatic forums. The summit agenda reportedly covers trade facilitation, technology cooperation, and financial architecture reform.

This is notably India's first time chairing the expanded BRICS, a role that carries both symbolic and strategic weight as New Delhi pushes its 'Global South' leadership credentials.

Tight security across New Delhi

Security arrangements have been significantly scaled up across the capital ahead of the summit. According to reports, around 15,000 police personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed for security duties. Key arterial roads and diplomatic zones are under multi-layered surveillance as high-profile delegations continue to arrive.

The summit is expected to conclude with a joint declaration outlining shared priorities on trade, technology, and multilateral reform — a document that will be closely watched for signals on BRICS' evolving posture vis-à-vis the G7.