New Delhi has emerged as the centre of global diplomatic and economic activity as the 18th BRICS Summit gets underway, bringing together leaders, senior officials and business representatives from across the expanded grouping. Ahead of the main summit scheduled for September 12 and 13, the BRICS Business Forum in the national capital focused on strengthening economic cooperation, building resilient supply chains and expanding commercial opportunities among member countries.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the opening session of the BRICS Business Forum, said deeper economic engagement and greater economic security within the grouping could contribute significantly to increased self-reliance. He emphasised the importance of stronger business connections, diversification of commercial partnerships and the development of more resilient supply networks.
Jaishankar said the shared objective should be to create an environment where businesses from BRICS countries can more easily identify partners, enter new markets and connect with reliable supply chains.
BRICS Summit Set for September 12-13
New Delhi is preparing to host the main BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13, with several heads of government and senior delegations arriving in India. The summit is expected to provide a major platform for discussions on economic cooperation, global governance, trade, investment, energy, technology and strategic partnerships.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday for a three-day visit to participate in the summit and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His discussions with Modi are expected to cover the expansion of bilateral trade and investment as well as cooperation in energy and other strategic sectors.
Putin is travelling with a high-level delegation. His visit also marks his first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira has also arrived in New Delhi to represent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who remains in Brazil amid his election campaign.
The summit is expected to bring together Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, among other senior leaders.
Modi-Putin Talks and Business Engagement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold wide-ranging bilateral talks on Friday afternoon. The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation across defence, energy, technology, pharmaceuticals and people-to-people relations.
The BRICS Business Forum is also expected to feature major international corporate leaders. Executives and representatives from companies and financial institutions including China National Petroleum Corporation, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Huawei Technologies, Alibaba Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Embraer are expected to attend Modi’s address on Friday evening.
The day’s business discussions are being organised around the themes of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. Around 1,000 foreign delegates are expected to participate, according to people familiar with the programme.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are also expected to address the opening session.
Tight Security Across New Delhi
Authorities have introduced extensive security arrangements across the national capital ahead of the summit. Delhi Police is deploying around 15,000 personnel, supported by 200 companies of paramilitary forces, to secure important locations and movement corridors.
More than 500 CCTV cameras, including high-resolution and specialised surveillance systems, have been installed to provide continuous monitoring of key areas.
The Airports Authority of India has also notified airspace restrictions around New Delhi. Non-scheduled flight operations will remain restricted between 7am and 11pm from September 11 to September 13 as part of the security arrangements.
India Strengthens Diplomatic Outreach
Jaishankar also held talks with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin in New Delhi ahead of the BRICS Summit. The two sides discussed ways to expand India-Uruguay relations, including cooperation in trade, connectivity and culture.
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Jaishankar said the two countries had agreed on a focused roadmap to advance bilateral ties. He also appreciated Uruguay’s support for strengthening India’s partnership with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and MERCOSUR.
Guterres, Pezeshkian Arrive in New Delhi
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the BRICS Summit. He was received by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also reached the Indian capital to participate in the summit. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi separately for bilateral discussions.
Pezeshkian and Modi had earlier met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek. The Iranian leader has highlighted the longstanding relationship between India and Iran and the potential to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
With the BRICS Business Forum already highlighting economic resilience and connectivity, the September 12-13 summit is set to place India’s diplomatic and economic priorities at the centre of discussions among the expanded grouping’s leaders.
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