New Delhi, September 10, 2026:
New Delhi is witnessing an extraordinary security build-up ahead of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13, with some of the world’s most powerful leaders preparing to converge on the Indian capital.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive on September 12, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive a day earlier. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also among the high-profile leaders attending the summit.
The Delhi Police has deployed around 30,000 security personnel across airports, hotels, roads and the Bharat Mandapam summit venue. Security arrangements include separate security grids for visiting leaders, extensive verification of hotel employees and specialised protection teams from the respective countries.
The summit is particularly significant because it comes at a time of intense geopolitical tensions. The ongoing conflict involving Iran has created divisions within the expanded BRICS grouping, particularly between Iran and the UAE, making consensus on a joint statement a major diplomatic challenge.
Modi-Xi meeting draws global attention
One of the most closely watched developments will be the expected meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping. Reuters reports that Xi’s visit is his first to India in seven years and comes against the backdrop of efforts to stabilise India-China relations after the 2020 border crisis.
Economic relations remain complicated, however, with continuing concerns surrounding investment, technology, visas and national security.
India is also pushing a major economic initiative at the summit: linking central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs) among BRICS members to facilitate faster cross-border payments. The proposal faces political and technical hurdles, particularly given tensions between some BRICS members.
Why it matters
The New Delhi summit could become an important test of India’s diplomatic balancing act between China, Russia, the United States and the wider Global South.
With the Middle East conflict affecting energy markets and crude oil prices, the summit also comes at a particularly sensitive economic moment for India. The Indian rupee fell to ₹95.44 against the US dollar on Thursday, with rising oil prices adding pressure.
The BRICS summit is therefore not merely a diplomatic gathering—it could shape discussions on global trade, payments, energy security and the emerging international order.
