India is hosting the 18th BRICS summit after assuming its Chairship on January 1. The year 2026 also marks a milestone as BRICS completes 20 years since its establishment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and several other leaders are attending the BRICS summit being held on September 12 and 13.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.
Over the years, BRICS has evolved into a comprehensive framework for cooperation across the three foundational pillars of political and security, economy and finance, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The official website of BRICS 2026 carries more details about the BRICS Bazaar, themed on ‘Crafting Culture, Connecting People’, which was mounted on September 10 and will conclude on September 15.
