BRICS has grown from a small emerging-market grouping into a wider platform spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. In 2026, the 11 members are Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on September 11, 2026, ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit. His visit combines two important tracks: Russia's participation in an expanded BRICS and a bilateral India-Russia agenda covering trade, energy, defence, technology and other areas of cooperation. The timing matters because India is using its 2026 BRICS chairship to push practical cooperation among emerging economies.

India and Iran occupy an important position between South Asia, the Gulf and Central Asia. For New Delhi, the relationship is not only about diplomacy with Tehran. It also involves trade, connectivity, energy, access to Central Asian markets and the safety of commercial routes.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026. The grouping now has 11 members and represents a large share of the world's population, economic output and trade. India assumed the chairship on January 1 and has used the year to hold hundreds of meetings across multiple sectors.

Global commerce is increasingly exposed to geopolitical shocks, transport disruptions and energy-market volatility. For India and other large emerging economies, resilience affects manufacturing, food, energy, electronics and exports. Supply-chain cooperation has therefore become a practical economic priority.