India, as the holder of the BRICS Chairmanship for 2026, has formally extended an invitation to Russia to attend the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The summit is scheduled to take place on 12 and 13 September. The information was reported by Russian news agency TASS, citing a government source, which confirmed that the invitation has already been dispatched.

The source stated clearly that “the invitation to the BRICS summit has been sent to Russia.” This marks another step in India’s preparations to host the high-level gathering of emerging economies. The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi also reiterated the country’s readiness to host the summit. 

Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at the bi-weekly press briefing, emphasised that preparations are underway in full swing. He noted that India, as the chair, is committed to ensuring the summit is conducted with full arrangements in place.

On Wednesday, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry revealed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has also been invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the outreach segment of the summit.

The invitation has been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office for consideration, with the final decision pending. The outreach session of BRICS traditionally includes selected non-member countries and regional leaders, offering them a platform to engage with the bloc’s agenda.

The 18th BRICS Summit will bring together the coalition of eleven member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. The outreach format allows for broader participation beyond the core membership, reflecting BRICS’ role as a coalition of developing nations from diverse regions.

India’s chairmanship in 2026 is guided by the overarching theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” This theme underscores the group’s focus on consultation and cooperation on issues of global and regional significance, particularly in the spheres of political and economic governance.

The summit is expected to highlight these priorities while also strengthening India’s diplomatic engagement with both member and non-member states.

The invitation to Russia, alongside Bangladesh’s inclusion in the outreach session, demonstrates India’s intent to foster inclusive dialogue and expand the scope of BRICS cooperation.

It also reflects New Delhi’s broader strategy of positioning itself as a central player in multilateral frameworks, while simultaneously reinforcing bilateral ties with key partners.

ANI