BRICS leaders in Delhi to deepen Global South trade ties amid US sanctions on Iran and Russia
BRICS summit moves to September 12-13 in New Delhi with India hosting key nations including China, Russia, and Iran. Leaders address Western economic sanctions and push for expanded currency usage in regional trade.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran, and Xi Jinping of China in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled for September 12 and 13. Iran and Russia leaders criticized Western economic sanctions and urged member states to deepen trade relations using national currencies rather than relying on the dollar or euro. Iranian President Pezeshkian stated that pressure on Tehran has entered a dangerous phase, noting that war impacts have disrupted global energy markets and pushed fuel prices sharply higher. Russia cited U.S. diesel prices hitting $6 per gallon as evidence of broader market volatility.
The summit carries the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Security." President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa aims to advance intra-BRICS trade and invest in African infrastructure aligned with the AfCFTA. Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent President Bola Tinubu in Delhi. The UAE backed a joint statement focusing on digital transformation and inclusive growth during the second BRICS finance ministers' meeting.
India introduced the slogan "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" to redefine the group's mission while avoiding direct alignment with Moscow or Beijing. Mihaela Papa of MIT noted the phrase represents a joint mission over country names. However, Sushant Singh of Yale observed that Indian leadership is increasingly oriented toward the United States, suggesting limited desire to expand BRICS influence. Last year's summit saw six heads of state skip the event, including leaders from China and Russia.
