BRICS summit opens in New Delhi amid wars, global tensions, tariffs

The annual BRICS summit has opened in New Delhi, with China’s President Xi Jinping, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian among those attending.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting the two-day meeting, the fourth time the country has hosted a BRICS summit.

The presidency has fallen to New Delhi at a difficult moment, with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine disrupting energy and shipping, tariffs pressing on members, and the members at odds over how to answer either challenge.

Expansion of non-Western cross-border payment channels and cooperation on artificial intelligence are also key items on the agenda.

President Xi arrived in the Indian capital on Saturday morning, his first visit to the country in seven years as the two Asian giants seek to thaw relations.

On Friday, Modi held talks with Putin – agreeing to deepen ties – and with Pezeshkian, raising freedom of navigation and the safety of ship crews.

Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto are also in attendance. The UAE has sent the crown prince of Abu Dhabi as its representative. Founding member Brazil sent Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to stand in for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The heads of the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are also present in India for the summit.