India is poised to host the annual BRICS summit this September, marking a significant event under its current chairmanship of the bloc. Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin is confirmed to attend the summit scheduled for September 12-13 in New Delhi. This announcement came from a Kremlin aide, highlighting the importance of the event on the international stage.
In addition to the summit, there are plans for a significant bilateral meeting between President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting will take place on the sidelines of the summit, underscoring the collaborative engagements among the BRICS nations. President Putin’s participation in the summit is particularly noteworthy as it marks his return to India since his last visit for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit in December 2025.
Earlier in the month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in New Delhi for a two-day conclave involving the BRICS member states, further emphasizing Russia’s active engagement within the bloc. This engagement comes at a time when BRICS has expanded beyond its original members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia in recent years.
The expansion of BRICS in 2024 and 2025 reflects its growing influence as a major global platform. Today, the bloc includes 11 leading emerging economies, representing nearly 49.5% of the world’s population. Collectively, these nations account for about 40% of global GDP and approximately 26% of global trade, making the BRICS summit a focal point for international discussions on economic and development issues.