BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE: PM Modi Holds Bilateral Talks With Putin; Trade, Steel And Rail Sector Collaboration In Focus

Authorities are handing a goodie bag to delegates and journalists at the Bharat Mandapam. From Bihar's Sattu and Makhana to special coffee from Odisha, check what's inside the special goodie bag.

Inside BRICS Summit 2026 Goodie Bag: Bihar's Sattu, Odisha's Coffee, Gujarati Stole And More For Delegates, Journalists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, an ancient Tamil classic.

The bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra has begun at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The two leaders are expected to discuss a bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030, expanding Industrial cooperation between the two nations and collaboration in the rail sector and tunnelling.

According to government sources, Putin and PM Modi will also discuss developing the steel value chain between Russia and India to create more B2B opportunities and broaden India's access to the Russian Market.

Chinese President will be arriving in Delhi for the BRICS Summit on Saturday, where he will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ahead of his India visit, Xi Jinping has called for a partnership between India and China and said that "both countries should handle differences properly and view their ties from a strategic and long-term perspective."

This will be Xi Jinping's first India visit in seven years. Asked how China viewed the Modi-Xi meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that this will be the third year in a row that both leaders will meet following meetings in Kazan and Tianjin.

"China will work with India to act on the strategic guidance of the two leaders, handle bilateral relations from strategic height and long-term perspective, step up communication and enhance cooperation to properly handle differences, and be friends enjoying good neighbourliness and partners helping each other," Mao said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian lauded the BRICS before departing for New Delhi, calling the group a joint effort to "confront unilaterism". "The goal of BRICS is to confront unilateralism, and the slogan of the current summit is also within this framework, and we hope to get closer to this goal day by day. Of course, we know that economic issues are complex and we need new approaches to reduce totalitarianism and unilateralism in the world," he said, as quoted by ISNA.

"Independence, solidarity, sustainability, resistance, and innovation are the slogans of the summit, and economic, financial, industrial, and trade issues will be discussed at this summit. A special bank has been formed within the BRICS framework, and we are going to see investment from countries so that interactions between countries and members can be carried out without dependence on the dollar, thus reducing America's totalitarianism with the dollar," he added.

1. Xi Jinping - Chinese President

2. Vladimir Putin - Russian President

3. Cyril Ramaphosa - President of South Africa

4. Masoud Pezeshkian - President of Iran

5. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi - President of Egypt

6. Prabowo Subianto - President of Indonesia

7. Abiy Ahmed Ali - Ethiopian Prime Minister

8. Anwar Ibrahim - Malaysian Prime Minister

9. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

10. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan - The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

11. Mauro Vieira - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil

Sen. Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, arrives in India for the BRICS Summit 2026.

"Take a look at Sangam: A Confluence of Cultures; a large-scale collaborative public art project created by artists from 9 countries. Inspired by the Indian concept of Sangam, where rivers from different origins meet and flow together, the artwork brings together artists and cultures from across BRICS in a celebration of friendship and unity in diversity. Inspired by India's BRICS Chairship 2026 theme, the artwork reflects resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X.

Initially a group of four nations -- Brazil, Russia, India and China, BRICS has grown significantly in the past decade with seven more nations joining the group, including Iran, Egypt and Indonesia. 

These 11 nations represent nearly half the world's population and a significant share of the global economy, giving BRICS increased diplomatic clout. But are these nations able to establish a single-point agenda? Take a look at the agendas of all countries and why America is concerned about the bloc.

One Platform, 11 Countries: BRICS Members' Diplomatic Interests, India's Strategy And Trump's Anxiety Explained

Can the 11-nation BRICS+ group challenge the global power dynamics? Watch This Video

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday arrived in New Delhi to attend the BRICS Summit. He will hold a bilateral meet with PM Modi later in the evening.

Union Ministers and Chief Ministers attending the BRICS Summit 2026 are expected to travel together in a single bus from Parliament to the summit venue at Bharat Mandapam. The participating Union Ministers and Chief Ministers will assemble at Parliament before proceeding together to Bharat Mandapam. The exact time for the leaders to assemble and depart from Parliament is yet to be finalised.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday began a three-day visit to India to participate in the BRICS summit and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand bilateral trade, investment and energy cooperation. Putin is accompanied by a high-level delegation. It will be his first in-person participation at a BRICS summit outside Russia since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi is illuminated ahead of the high-profile BRICS Summit, as the capital gears up to host the two-day event from September 12 to 13. Take a look at Bharat Mandapam, beautifully lit up ahead of the BRICS Summit 2026.

In view of the BRICS Summit, the government has enforced special security measures at Delhi Airport from 1:30 am today till 5:30 pm on September 13. Under the restrictions, ANI reported that no take-offs or landings will be allowed at IGI Airport and any other airports within a 300-km radius of Delhi. Only specified flights will be permitted during the period.

Regular scheduled flights and overflights can continue to fly over the 300-km zone on normal routes, but will be subject to height restrictions. While climbing, aircraft must reach Flight Level 290 (FL290) by the time they are 200 km from Delhi. While descending, aircraft must start descending from FL290 only when they are 200 km or more from Delhi.