What happened at the BRICS summit in Delhi
Updated 23 Oct 2026. India hosting a big multilateral summit is one of the most reliable sources of exam questions, because examiners attach background facts to it: the grouping's history, its bank, its members and the next host. The declaration's language on UN reform and terrorism also connects to India's foreign policy goals.
BRICS: 2026 summit and background
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| 18th summit | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, 12 to 13 Sep 2026 |
| India's chairships | 2012, 2016, 2021, 2026 |
| Next chair | China, 19th summit in 2027 |
| Recent hosts | Kazan 2024, Rio de Janeiro 2025, New Delhi 2026 |
| BRIC term coined | Jim O'Neill, 2001 |
| First leaders' summit | Yekaterinburg, 2009 |
| South Africa joined | 2010 |
| Indonesia full member | January 2025 |
| New Development Bank | HQ Shanghai; agreement Fortaleza 2014; operational 2015 |
| Newest NDB member | Uzbekistan, 10th member (June 2026; as of Oct 2026) |
| Partner country category | Created at Kazan, October 2024 |
What an exam could ask
- Which city hosted the 18th summit and which country chairs next could be asked, with the chain of recent hosts.
- The New Development Bank could be asked: headquarters, year, founding agreement, newest member.
- The origin of the BRIC acronym, the first summit and the year South Africa joined are standard background questions.
- A statement-based question could test what the New Delhi Declaration said on UN reform and terrorism.
- India's earlier chairship years (2012, 2016, 2021) could be asked as a match-the-year item.
Angles to revise, not predictions.
What happened
India chaired BRICS in 2026, its fourth chairship after 2012, 2016 and 2021, under the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability. More than 350 meetings were held across the year, including agriculture ministers in Indore, national security advisers in New Delhi and space agency heads in Bengaluru. The 18th summit met at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 12 and 13 September 2026. Leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration by consensus, a text of about 140 points that backs India and Brazil for bigger roles at the United Nations, condemned the 22 April 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and called for a Gaza ceasefire. China takes the chair in 2027 and will host the 19th summit.
Words to know
- BRICS
- A grouping of emerging economies. The term BRIC was coined by economist Jim O'Neill in 2001; the group began meeting in 2006, held its first leaders' summit in Yekaterinburg in 2009, and added South Africa in 2010. Indonesia became a full member in January 2025. As of October 2026, sources differ on whether Saudi Arabia counts as a full member, so the member count depends on which list is used.
- New Development Bank (NDB)
- The BRICS bank. Agreement signed at Fortaleza in 2014, operational from 2015, headquartered in Shanghai. Later members include Bangladesh and the UAE (2021), Egypt (2023), Algeria (2025) and Uzbekistan (2026).
- Contingent Reserve Arrangement
- A BRICS fund that members can draw on in a balance-of-payments crisis.
- Partner country
- A category created at the Kazan summit in October 2024 for countries associated with BRICS without full membership.
- Bharat Mandapam
- The convention centre in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan that hosted the 2026 summit.
- BIMSTEC
- Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, secretariat in Dhaka. Bangladesh was invited to the summit outreach as its chair.
- Summit hosts
- Recent summits: Kazan (Russia) 2024, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) 2025, New Delhi (India) 2026; China hosts in 2027. India also hosted in Goa in 2016.
Full timeline
Uzbekistan deposits its accession to the New Development Bank, becoming its tenth member and first from Central Asia
BRICS Agriculture Working Group and ministers meet in Indore
16th BRICS National Security Advisers meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Ajit Doval
BRICS Heads of Space Agencies meet in Bengaluru, hosted by
India invites Bangladesh's PM to the summit outreach session as BIMSTEC chair
Chairship year summarised: 350-plus meetings in 25-plus cities; summit set for 12 to 13 September
Preparations for the 18th summit at Bharat Mandapam
New Delhi Declaration adopted by consensus on 12 September, the first day of the summit (the MEA text is dated 12 September)
China's Xi Jinping proposes an open-source AI ecosystem for BRICS; the declaration does not explicitly endorse it
China confirmed as 2027 chair and host of the 19th summit
Sources
- https://www.ndb.int/news/uzbekistan-officially-joins-new-development-bank-as-new-member-country/
- https://bricsmagazine.com/en/?p=4058
- https://newsonair.gov.in/five-day-brics-agriculture-ministers-meeting-to-begin-today-in-indore-madhya-pradesh/
- https://theprint.in/india/brics-meeting-in-indore-to-focus-on-food-security-farmer-welfare-chouhan/2953799/
- https://www.outlookbusiness.com/news/5-day-brics-meeting-begins-in-indore-to-discuss-global-issues-in-agriculture-sector
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/brics-national-security-advisers-meeting-begins-in-new-delhi/
- https://ianslive.in/india-to-host-brics-national-security-advisers-meeting-focus-on-emerging-security-threats--20260620130115
- https://newsonair.gov.in/nsa-ajit-doval-meets-iranian-official-on-sidelines-of-brics-meeting/
- https://www.isro.gov.in/ISRO_EN/brics_heads_of_Space_Agencies_2026.html
- https://newsonair.gov.in/brics-heads-of-space-agencies-meeting-2026-concludes-in-bengaluru-under-indias-chairmanship/
- https://theprint.in/diplomacy/india-invites-bangladesh-pm-tarique-rahman-to-attend-brics-summit-as-part-of-bimstec-outreach/2995246/
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/bangladesh-pm-invited-to-brics-outreach-as-bimstec-chair-india/
- https://ianslive.in/bangladesh-pm-invited-to-brics-summit-as-bimstec-chair-mea--20260804183754
- https://mybharat.gov.in/pages/brics_new_delhi_2026
- https://web29.bernama.com/nnn/news.php?id=2599699
- https://www.angelone.in/news/economy/india-to-host-18th-brics-summit-in-new-delhi-on-september-12-13-2026
- https://newsonair.gov.in/all-preparations-in-full-swing-for-two-day-brics-summit-2026-beginning-saturday/
- https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/18th-brics-summit-2026-check-full-schedule-of-leaders-meetings-key-sessions-at-bharat-mandapam-554289-2026-09-09
- https://www.dtnext.in/news/national/brics-adopts-new-delhi-declaration-with-consensus
- https://www.sanews.gov.za/node/84282
- https://www.outlookindia.com/national/new-delhi-declaration-adopted-what-are-the-key-takeaways
- https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/14/chinas-xi-jinping-proposes-brics-open-source-ai-zone
- https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/09/13/china039s-xi-proposes-brics-039open-source-ai-zone039
- https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/3976332-china-to-host-19th-brics-summit-in-2027
- https://timesofoman.com/article/176867-brics-chairship-passes-to-china-as-pm-modi-extends-best-wishes
- https://tass.com/world/2186747
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Test yourself
1.Where is the headquarters of the BRICS New Development Bank?
Correct. The NDB is headquartered in Shanghai. Its agreement was signed at Fortaleza in 2014 and it began work in 2015.
Not quite. The NDB is headquartered in Shanghai. Its agreement was signed at Fortaleza in 2014 and it began work in 2015. It goes into your error book.
2.Which economist coined the term BRIC in 2001?
Correct. Economist Jim O'Neill coined BRIC in 2001. The group held its first leaders' summit in Yekaterinburg in 2009.
Not quite. Economist Jim O'Neill coined BRIC in 2001. The group held its first leaders' summit in Yekaterinburg in 2009. It goes into your error book.
3.Which country chairs BRICS in 2027 and hosts the 19th summit?
Correct. China was confirmed as the 2027 chair at the New Delhi summit.
Not quite. China was confirmed as the 2027 chair at the New Delhi summit. It goes into your error book.
4.South Africa joined the BRIC grouping, making it BRICS, in which year?
Correct. South Africa joined in 2010, after the first leaders' summit in 2009.
Not quite. South Africa joined in 2010, after the first leaders' summit in 2009. It goes into your error book.
5.In which city was the first BRIC leaders' summit held in 2009?
Correct. The first leaders' summit was at Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.
Not quite. The first leaders' summit was at Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. It goes into your error book.