Modi Meets Top BRICS Diplomats During High-Level Delhi Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a series of high-profile diplomatic meetings with foreign ministers attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ gathering in New Delhi, reinforcing India’s expanding role within the global grouping of emerging economies.
The meetings took place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit-level engagement being hosted in the national capital as part of India’s 2026 chairmanship of the bloc.
PM Holds Bilateral Talks With Russia, Iran, Brazil and South Africa
During the diplomatic engagements, Modi met Sergey Lavrov, Abbas Araghchi, Ronald Lamola and Mauro Vieira.
The discussions reportedly focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, expanding strategic ties and enhancing coordination on global and regional issues through the BRICS platform.
Prime Minister Modi also joined delegates and visiting ministers for the official BRICS family photograph alongside representatives from member and partner nations attending the summit.
Jaishankar Welcomes Global Delegates at Bharat Mandapam
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar formally received international delegates at Bharat Mandapam, the venue hosting the high-level diplomatic event.
Among those welcomed were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and South African representative Ronald Lamola.
Jaishankar also received Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos Hessebon and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar.
China Represented by Ambassador Amid Wang Yi’s Absence
China was represented at the meeting by Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong in place of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who remained in Beijing during the ongoing visit of former US President Donald Trump to China.
The development added another layer of geopolitical significance to the BRICS discussions taking place in New Delhi.
India’s 2026 BRICS Chairmanship in Focus
The two-day gathering marks one of the most significant diplomatic events under India’s BRICS presidency this year. India officially assumed the chairmanship of the bloc from Brazil on January 1, 2026.
This is the fourth time India is leading BRICS after previously hosting summits in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
The expanded BRICS grouping continues to focus on economic cooperation, trade partnerships, multilateral reforms, energy security and development issues affecting emerging economies worldwide.
