Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the BRICS Summit 2026 under India’s chairship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed President Xi at the venue, marking a significant moment in the summit proceedings.

The Ministry of External Affairs posted on X, “Warm welcome to President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China on his arrival in New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit.

He was received by MoS Jitin Prasada at the airport. We look forward to constructive discussions as BRICS continues to advance cooperation and contribute to a more balanced, representative and multipolar world.”

President Xi’s entourage includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, along with Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Prime Minister Modi and President Xi are scheduled to hold a much-awaited bilateral meeting this evening on the sidelines of the summit.

Prime Minister Modi also welcomed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Bharat Mandapam.

He met and greeted Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the venue.

Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during these engagements.

Leaders representing BRICS nations will hold a closed session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism” at the Summit Hall.

The leaders will also witness the Bharat Innovates Exhibition, showcasing India’s technological and developmental initiatives.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September. India’s chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming the core areas of focus.

BRICS has emerged as a vital platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda spans development, finance, technology, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping currently comprises 11 countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE.

India’s chairship comes at a time of global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change, and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy, and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.

For India, the 2026 chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi held a series of bilateral meetings.

With Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, he discussed defence, investment linkages, critical minerals, and clean energy, stating that the two nations are taking an “old friendship into new frontiers.”

On X, Prime Minister Modi posted, “India and Ethiopia are taking an old friendship into new frontiers! Delighted to welcome PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali on his first visit to India. Today’s talks covered: Defence. Capacity building. Investment linkages. Critical minerals. Clean energy. Healthcare. Together, we will also strengthen India-Africa ties and amplify the voice of the Global South.”

Following his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister Modi hailed the growing defence partnership and expanding two-way investments between the two nations.

ANI