New Delhi is gearing up to host one of the most significant international diplomatic and economic gatherings of the year as world leaders, senior government officials, and top corporate executives assemble for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13. The high-profile proceedings will take place at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam complex, bringing together high-level representatives from across the newly expanded economic block. As major emerging markets and developing nations seek to solidify strategic cooperation across finance, international trade, energy security, and global institutional governance, the summit serves as a critical junction for multilateral policy alignment, economic collaboration, and long-term strategic planning.
Key Heads of State and Full Member Delegations
The main leaders' program scheduled for September 12 will feature heads of government, state leaders, and senior diplomatic representatives from the 11 full member nations of the BRICS coalition. Prominent international figures taking center stage at Bharat Mandapam include President Xi Jinping of China, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. Their physical presence places three of the largest foundational economies of the BRICS group at the very center of upcoming discussions as the bloc seeks to deepen intra-group economic ties, expand bilateral trade mechanisms, increase joint investment projects, and reshape global economic governance structures.
Joining the foundational leaders from the expanded lineup of full members are Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi; Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia; and Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia. Representing the United Arab Emirates at the summit is Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, while Mauro Vieira, Foreign Minister of Brazil, is listed among the participating dignitaries. The 11 full member nations within the coalition include foundational members India, Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa, alongside expanded members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran. Collectively, these member nations represent a massive proportion of the global population, industrial output, natural resource reserves, and emerging market potential, turning this summit into an essential arena for economic dialogue.
Outreach Nations and Global Diplomatic Presence
Beyond the full member countries, the New Delhi summit will feature an extensive roster of leaders and high-ranking officials from partner and outreach nations, reflecting the coalition's expanding global diplomatic footprint and collaborative posture. High-level participants expected in the capital include Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus; Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan; Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia; and Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand. Their involvement emphasizes the growing strategic alignment between BRICS and pivotal regional economies across Eurasia and Southeast Asia.
The diplomatic outreach guest list also features Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba; Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria; and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan. Representing Uganda at the event is Vice-President Jessica Alupo. With state leaders arriving from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the gathering demonstrates the wide international scope of the BRICS platform while emphasizing core economic issues facing developing economies. Adding further diplomatic weight to the New Delhi meeting, Antonio Guterres, who serves as UN Secretary-General, is participating in the summit, bringing an extra layer of global stature and institutional multilateralism to the high-level deliberations hosted at Bharat Mandapam.
BRICS Business Forum and Ministerial Addresses
The broad economic engagement surrounding the summit will get underway prior to the start of the main heads of state program. Ahead of the primary gathering, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address at the BRICS Business Forum on September 11 in New Delhi, setting the commercial agenda a day before the heads of state commence their formal sessions. The Business Forum acts as the primary institutional platform linking government policy architects directly with private sector and state enterprise leaders from participating nations to spur real-world trade growth.
Addresses during the opening session of the business gathering will also be delivered by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar alongside Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Detailed panel sessions and high-level roundtable discussions at the forum will cover crucial economic areas including agricultural trade, investment flows, cross-border trade policies, supply chain resilience, and digital commerce infrastructure. These commercial discussions aim to build actionable trade pathways, private-sector partnerships, and sustainable economic framework agreements alongside broader government diplomatic objectives.
Corporate Delegations and High-Level Industry Leaders
Accompanying the political gathering will be a substantial corporate presence, highlighted by a large business delegation arriving in New Delhi from China. Senior executives representing some of China's largest state-owned industrial enterprises, major financial institutions, and technology leaders will participate in summit-related commercial sessions. Prominent Chinese business executives listed for the meetings include China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) chairman Houliang Dai, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) chairman Lin Liao, and Min Wan, who serves as chairman of China COSCO Shipping Corporation.
Top leadership figures from Alibaba Group and Huawei Technologies will similarly join the dialogue. Their attendance signals that technology transfer, digital commerce platforms, financial services, and maritime shipping logistics will be among the primary focus areas drawing corporate attention throughout the event. Beyond the Chinese delegation, several prominent business figures representing additional BRICS partner nations will also participate in the high-level trade discussions. Expected business participants include Embraer's Francisco Gomes Neto, Gustavo Pimenta of Vale, Naspers executive Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, Oleg Belozerov representing Russian Railways, and Alexander Vedyakhin of Sberbank. Their active presence underscores the summit's commitment to expanding cross-border commercial ventures, industrial partnerships, and private-sector economic cooperation across emerging economies.
