India to host the next BRICS summit in 2026

India will take over as Chair of BRICS in 2026 and host the 18th BRICS Summit, as was announced at the conclusion of the 17th summit in Brazil.

“We express our full support for India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026 and the hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit in India,” a communiqué stated on Sunday following the leaders' meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

Originally formed in the late 2000s as a bloc of five major emerging economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—BRICS has sought to offer a counterweight to Western-dominated international institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.

In recent years, the bloc has undergone a historic expansion. At the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in 2023, six new countries were invited to join. As of 1 January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates officially became full members. Argentina, originally included in the invitation, declined membership later that year, while Saudi Arabia has not yet formalised its decision. Most recently, Indonesia was admitted on 6 January 2025, becoming the 10th member of the bloc.

With the inclusion of new members, BRICS now accounts for over 40% of the world’s population and approximately 30% of global GDP. The grouping’s relevance is growing as its members advocate for de-dollarisation in trade, increased use of national currencies, and the creation of financial mechanisms such as the BRICS Development Bank (also known as the New Development Bank), which has expanded its lending in the Global South.

India's forthcoming chairship will come at a time when the country is actively shaping global discussions on digital public infrastructure, sustainable development, and south-south cooperation. India last hosted the BRICS summit in 2021, when proceedings were conducted online due to pandemic-related restrictions. The 2026 edition is anticipated to be an in-person gathering, likely to be held in New Delhi or another major Indian city.

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Source: The Hindu