All Set For 18th BRICS Leaders Summit in Delhi

New Delhi: With the city all decked up and the last minute preparations done, the government on Wednesday announced the schedule for the two-day 18th BRICS Leaders Summit.

BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries of the world: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. It serves as an important platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global as well as regional significance, and issues of global political and economic governance.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE became full members of BRICS from January 2024 and Indonesia joined in January 2025. Besides, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam joined BRICS as Partner Countries in 2025. PM Modi had invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Mr Tarique Rahman to attend the outreach session of the BRICS Summit in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC. However, Mr Rahman has chosen not to attend the event nor is he sending anyone to represent Bangladesh.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome the BRICS leaders including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Bharat Mandapam.

The Summit begins at 2.30pm at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday with the closed session for BRICS member countries under the title “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.” The leaders of BRICS member countries will, thereafter, witness Bharat Innovates Exhibition followed by a family photo of the grouping and tree plantation. Later in the evening PM Modi will host a gala dinner for the BRICS leaders.

On Sunday morning, the grouping will have meetings with leaders of BRICS partner countries followed by an open session on “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.” The leaders will leave by Sunday evening.

Ahead of the BRICS Leaders’ Summit, the final meeting of BRICS Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ took place in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, a thick cover of security blanket was thrown all over central Delhi and along the routes to be used by the BRICS leaders ahead of the Summit. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said it has put in place various measures to ensure smooth handling of increased international passenger traffic during the BRICS Summit, including enhancing capacity at Terminal 3.

The airport will have dedicated immigration counters for the BRICS participants and adequate arrangements have been made for landing and parking of aircraft as increased number of international flight movements are expected during the summit period.

DIAL CEO Pradeep Panicker said it has undertaken comprehensive preparedness measures in close coordination with all security and operational stakeholders to efficiently manage the anticipated increase in international traffic while maintaining highest standards of safety, security and passenger experience.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had imposed restrictions on flying activities at training schools during the BRICS Summit for the next three days. In a communication to all flying training schools, the DGCA said the restrictions would be in force from 7 am on September 11 to 11 pm on September 13 in view of the BRICS Summit-2026 being held in the national capital.

The order specifically states that "no aircraft including light/micro-light aircraft, hang gliders, helicopters etc. Is permitted to fly even to start from any FTO" located in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Besides, operations of light and microlight aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and similar long-range aerial vehicles have been prohibited within a 300-km radius of Delhi during the specified period. The DGCA order also prohibits "operations of hang-gliders, para gliders, para-motors, aero-models, all types of drones and similar short-range aerial vehicles" within 100 km of Delhi.