BRICS summit 2026 LIVE updates: Xi Jinping to arrive in Delhi with China’s top two diplomats; sessions begin from 2 pm

BRICS summit 2026 LIVE updates: A bilateral meeting between India and Ethiopia is currently underway at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

BRICS is not a formal multilateral organisation like the United Nations, World Bank or OPEC. It functions as an “informal club”, with member countries holding an annual summit and taking turns to chair the grouping. Its decisions are based on consensus.

It is a forum for political and diplomatic coordination among countries of the Global South, aimed at expanding economic, political and social cooperation and strengthening the Global South’s voice in international governance, often dominated by western concerns.

It also seeks greater legitimacy, equity and efficiency in institutions such as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organization.

BRICS currently has 11 members — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.

Together, they account for 49.5% of the global population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade.

BRICS summit 2026 LIVE updates: Traffic restrictions and diversions will be in place across several key stretches of Delhi from 8:15 pm to 11 pm on September 12 for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, according to Delhi Traffic Police.

Traffic movement will be regulated on major roads leading towards central Delhi, while a prohibited zone has been marked around Bharat Mandapam and Pragati Maidan.

The affected stretches include roads around India Gate, Kartavya Path, Janpath, Mandi House, Tilak Marg, Bhagwan Das Road, Mathura Road and Pragati Maidan, among other connecting routes.

Motorists have been advised to follow designated alternative routes, avoid restricted areas, plan their journeys in advance and use the Metro wherever possible. Emergency and essential-service vehicles will be given priority passage, the advisory said.

BRICS summit 2026 LIVE updates: Several prominent world leaders are scheduled to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.

1. Xi Jinping, President of China
2. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
3. Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President
4. Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian President
5. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Egyptian President
6. Prabowo Subianto, Indonesian President
7. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Ethiopian Prime Minister
8. Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Prime Minister
9. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister
10. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
11. Mauro Vieira, Brazilian foreign minister

Other leaders who will be participating in the Summit include Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo; Vice President of Nigeria Sen. Kashim Shettima; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov; Prime Minister of Vietnam Le Minh Hung; and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to a list shared by the ministry of external affairs (MEA).

BRICS summit India LIVE: Chinese journalist Ren Yan said Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India after seven years presents a good opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to discuss issues and improve bilateral ties.

“Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India after 7 long years... China and India are good neighbors and also have great civilizations. I think the BRICS summit has provided a good platform for the leaders of China and India to meet together and discuss many issues. So I think it's a good opportunity for the leaders of the two nations to improve the relationship between our two countries," he told news agency ANI.

Ren also highlighted the 20th anniversary of BRICS, saying the grouping has provided a platform for Global South countries to cooperate in areas including trade, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

BRICS summit India LIVE: China Southern Airlines will resume regular passenger services on the Guangzhou-New Delhi route from September 21, marking the relaunch of its India service after a six-year suspension, China's Global Times reported.

The airline will operate more than 100 weekly flights across eight round-trip routes in South Asia following the restart, China’s Global Times reported, citing the carrier.

BRICS summit India LIVE: China said it will work with India to “properly handle differences” ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Asked about the meeting, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said this will be the third consecutive year that the two leaders meet, following their meetings in Kazan and Tianjin.

"China will work with India to act on the strategic guidance of the two leaders, handle bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, step up communication, enhance cooperation, properly handle differences, and be friends enjoying good-neighbourliness and partners helping each other succeed," she said.

BRICS summit India LIVE: Several foreign journalists have praised the thoughtful selection of items in the ministry of external affairs’ media kit, with a German media delegate telling news agency ANI, “I have been to the BRICS summits in Brazil and South Africa, but this is the best bag.”

The MEA’s media kit gives journalists from India and across the world a glimpse of the country’s rich cultural diversity ahead of the September 12–13 summit.

From Bihar’s earthy sattu to Koraput’s hill-grown coffee and Gujarat’s intricate handicrafts, India’s culinary traditions, local produce and artisanal skills are taking centre stage alongside high diplomacy at the 18th BRICS Summit in Delhi.

1. The BRICS leaders will begin arriving at Bharat Mandapam from 2pm on Saturday. The first closed session, scheduled for 2.35pm, will focus on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”

2. The leaders will later visit the Bharat Innovates exhibition before posing for a family photograph and participating in a joint tree plantation. Modi will host a gala dinner for the visiting leaders at 7.30pm.

3. The summit will continue on Sunday with the arrival of leaders of BRICS partner countries and outreach invitees. An open session titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth” is scheduled for 10.50am.

4. A meeting between PM Modi and China's President Xi Jinping is expected to be the highlight of the day as the two leaders are meeting on Indian soil after seven years.

BRICS summit India LIVE: Belarus foreign minister Maxim Ryzhenkov arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit.

Ministry of external affairs spokespersonRandhir Jaiswal extended a warm welcome to Ryzhenkov on X, he wrote: “ India and Belarus share warm and friendly relations, marked by growing cooperation across a broad range of areas, in bilateral and multilateral.”

BRICS summit India LIVE: Visuals from outside Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where the 18th BRICS Summit is set to begin today, September 12.

The two-day summit will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees.

This year’s summit is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

India, a founding member of BRICS, has previously held the grouping’s chairship three times — in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

BRICS summit India LIVE: Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Saturday for New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua.

His entourage includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, Xinhua reported.