BRICS Leaders Gather in New Delhi for Milestone 20th Anniversary Summit Amid Global Crises

Marking its 20th anniversary, the expanded BRICS bloc has convened for its annual summit in New Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting the two-day meeting—marking the fourth time India has hosted the event—with notable attendees including China’s President Xi Jinping, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

New Delhi assumed the presidency during a turbulent period defined by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine that continue to strain global energy supplies and shipping routes. Additional challenges include international tariffs and internal disagreements among member states on how to address these pressures. Key discussions on the agenda also feature the expansion of non-Western cross-border payment channels and cooperation on artificial intelligence.

President Xi arrived in the Indian capital on Saturday morning for his first visit to the country in seven years, as both Asian nations work to thaw diplomatic relations. Ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with President Putin to deepen ties, and with President Pezheskians regarding freedom of navigation and the safety of ship crews.

Other leaders in attendance include Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed, and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto. The UAE is represented by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, while Brazil sent Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in place of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Additionally, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the heads of the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are present in India for the proceedings.

Internal divisions remain a challenge for the bloc, particularly as members Iran and the United Arab Emirates find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict involving the United States and Israel. While last year's summit featured a joint declaration condemning a US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran, a subsequent meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in May failed to produce a unified statement on the issue.

Meanwhile, BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have raised objections against tariffs and non-tariff measures enacted by the US, arguing they distort trade and violate WTO rules. With President Donald Trump labeling the bloc as "anti-American" and threatening punitive tariffs against aligned nations, host India faces a delicate balancing act managing trade, finance, technology, energy security, and climate change as the alliance seeks to empower the Global South.