‘Global political and economic order under churn’: Jaishankar ahead of BRICS Summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the BRICS Summit is taking place at a time when the global political and economic order is undergoing major changes, with geopolitical conflicts, pandemics and climate disruptions adding to uncertainty.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under its 2026 chairmanship. Several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, have begun arriving in the capital for the summit and bilateral engagements.

‘Global political and economic order is under churn’

Speaking ahead of the summit, Jaishankar said the gathering comes at a time “when global political and economic order is under churn”.

“Volatility, uncertainty, and complexity have become defining features of the world around us. We are witnessing the economic consequences of geopolitical conflicts, of pandemics, and of climate-related disruptions.”

At the same time, Jaishankar pointed to the opportunities emerging from technological advances and rapid digitalisation.

“At the same time, rapid digitalization and technological advances are opening new possibilities for growth, productivity and development. The result is an economic landscape where both risks and opportunities are becoming more widely distributed and where the ability to anticipate, adapt and respond is acquiring greater importance”.

India puts resilience and cooperation at centre

Jaishankar said India's approach during its BRICS chairmanship has focused on responding to these changing circumstances through greater resilience, cooperation and sustainability.

“India’s chair ship has sought to carry this evolution forward through the theme of building for resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. That is BRICS. These priorities are especially relevant to the circumstances in which our countries find themselves today.”

India's priorities for the summit include food and energy security, resilient supply chains, trade, investment, technology, digital cooperation and development finance. The meeting is also taking place against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, conflict in West Asia and rising trade tensions.

Putin, Xi among leaders attending

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi early Friday and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their discussions are expected to cover trade, energy, defence and broader strategic ties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi are among the other leaders expected to attend.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff are also scheduled to be in New Delhi.

Two-day summit begins Saturday

The leaders’ summit will begin on Saturday afternoon with a closed-door session on inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism. A gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Modi is scheduled for the evening.

On Sunday, leaders will attend the opening session focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. The summit will conclude with the New Delhi Declaration.