India Hosts World Leaders At BRICS Amid 2 Wars. What To Expect

India is hosting the BRICS summit, a 2-day meeting of the 11-member bloc, amid the backdrop of two ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. The summit is being attended by world leaders from Russia, China, Iran, and other member countries, as well as leaders from partner nations and international organisations. The discussions are expected to focus on divisions within the bloc over the wars, as well as broader economic cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the world leaders, with heavy security deployments across the capital amid strict traffic restrictions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already arrived in the city, and is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Modi today. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also visiting India after six years, following a chill in bilateral relations after the 2020 Galwan Valley border clashes that killed 20 Indians and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers. Indian Prime Minister Modi is expected to meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. The meeting will also feature leaders from other BRICS member countries, including Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The summit is being held with the 2026 chair, India, bringing together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, as well as Outreach Invitees. The leaders will exchange views on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance. Prime Minister Modi has expressed confidence that the conference will feature positive and meaningful discussions on various issues, with aspirations for global welfare. The summit is expected to be a crucial moment for the bloc, with the leaders meeting to address the divisions within the bloc and strengthen economic cooperation. The event is also being seen as an opportunity for India to showcase its economic and strategic ambitions. The BRICS summit is being held in Amritsar, a city in the northern Indian state of Punjab. The summit will begin with an opening session at 9:30 am, followed by a thematic session from 10:30 am to 2:35 pm.