New Delhi is under a heightened security blanket as preparations intensify for the BRICS Summit 2026, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel being deployed across the capital ahead of the arrival of global leaders and senior dignitaries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to host the two-day summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13. The gathering is expected to bring together leaders from BRICS member nations, partner countries, international organisations and other invited delegations.
Authorities have put in place a multi-layered security arrangement covering the airport, hotels where foreign dignitaries will stay and the summit venue.
Around 30,000 security personnel have reportedly been mobilised for the event. Approximately half of the deployment comprises Delhi Police personnel, while the rest are drawn from various paramilitary forces.
Security operation expands across key locations
Hotels in the Chanakyapuri area have emerged as major security zones as several visiting leaders are expected to stay there. Security teams from Russia and China have already arrived in India to prepare for the arrival of their respective presidents.
The security arrangements include personnel positioned on different floors of hotels, as well as rooftops and ground-level areas, ensuring close monitoring of movement around the premises.
The Delhi Police Special Cell is handling security arrangements linked to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Separate senior police teams have also been assigned to the hotel where Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to stay.
The deployment is part of a wider security grid designed to secure the movements of foreign leaders while also monitoring access points around major venues.
Foreign security teams arrive ahead of summit
The arrival of foreign security personnel has added another layer to the preparations. Russian and Chinese teams have reached the capital with specialised security equipment as they assess arrangements for their leaders.
Three Russian transport aircraft were also reported to have landed at Noida International Airport, adding to the visible preparations ahead of the summit.
With several high-profile leaders arriving around the same period, authorities are expected to maintain tight coordination between Delhi Police, central security agencies and foreign security teams.
Leaders to stay at separate hotels
The participating leaders and senior dignitaries are expected to be distributed among several hotels across New Delhi rather than being accommodated at a single location.
Putin is expected to stay at a hotel that will also host VIP guests from Bangladesh, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to stay at another property.
Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko are expected to be accommodated at the same hotel.
Another hotel is expected to host Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and finance ministers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Brazil are also expected to stay at a separate hotel.
Bharat Mandapam placed under tight watch
Bharat Mandapam, where the summit will take place on September 12 and 13, is another major focus of the security operation.
Authorities are expected to maintain strict access controls and surveillance around the venue as leaders, foreign delegations and other dignitaries arrive for the summit.
The scale of the deployment reflects the importance of the BRICS gathering and the security challenges involved in hosting several heads of government and senior international representatives in the national capital at the same time.
With the summit now just days away, Delhi’s security agencies are working to ensure that the movement of international leaders remains tightly coordinated while maintaining security across the city.
