New Delhi is preparing to host one of the most consequential BRICS gatherings since the bloc’s expansion, with the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit scheduled for September 12–13 at Bharat Mandapam. The summit is bringing together political leaders from the expanded grouping alongside a significant line-up of global corporate executives, putting trade, investment, technology and supply-chain cooperation firmly at the centre of India’s BRICS presidency.
The bigger story: BRICS is no longer only a diplomatic platform. Its expanding membership and growing business agenda are turning the grouping into an increasingly important forum for South-South trade, investment and industrial cooperation. Earlier BRICS work has specifically promoted business missions, B2B meetings, MSME participation and stronger production networks across member economies.
Modi–Xi engagement adds a major geopolitical dimension
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected in New Delhi, in what would be his first visit to India in seven years. His expected participation has given the summit an additional bilateral dimension, particularly as India and China seek to manage a relationship in which diplomatic engagement has improved while commercial ties continue to face regulatory and investment hurdles.
Reuters reports that businesses on both sides still face challenges involving investment approvals, visas and restrictions on industrial equipment. This makes the summit potentially significant not only for diplomacy but also for determining whether the recent political thaw can translate into stronger economic engagement.
Business insight: The presence of senior Chinese executives at the summit is therefore particularly important. It creates a platform for India-China commercial discussions at a time when both countries are attempting to balance strategic concerns with economic opportunities.
Global CEOs set to join the BRICS business conversation
The BRICS Business Forum, scheduled ahead of the leaders’ summit, is expected to bring together senior representatives from some of the world’s major companies.
The Chinese delegation is expected to include senior figures associated with CNPC, ICBC and China COSCO Shipping, alongside executives from Huawei and Alibaba.
Other major corporate names expected to feature include Embraer, Vale, Naspers, Russian Railways and Sberbank.
The sector mix is significant: energy, banking, shipping, aviation, mining and technology are all represented — precisely the sectors that underpin the next phase of cross-border infrastructure and industrial growth.
From diplomacy to deals: the business agenda matters
The economic agenda is broader than headline bilateral meetings. BRICS discussions have increasingly focused on industrial cooperation, digital transformation, innovation, MSMEs and integration of production networks.
Previous BRICS initiatives have explicitly encouraged the exchange of information on fairs and exhibitions, business missions and sector-specific B2B meetings to help companies establish partnerships and secure commercial opportunities.
For businesses, this makes the New Delhi summit relevant beyond the political headlines. The real test will be whether discussions translate into investment, partnerships, technology cooperation and stronger supply-chain connections.
Bharat Mandapam at the centre of a high-profile international gathering
With heads of state, ministers, business delegations and international officials converging on New Delhi, Bharat Mandapam will become the focal point of a major international diplomatic and business programme.
India’s BRICS chairship is being guided by the themes of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, with the country positioning the 2026 presidency around practical cooperation across the expanded grouping. India has also been using BRICS platforms to strengthen institutional links and develop the next generation of diplomatic and economic cooperation.
For the events and exhibitions industry, the summit is equally significant: it demonstrates the scale of infrastructure, protocol, venue management, security, hospitality, business networking and international delegation operations required to deliver a global leaders’ gathering in India.
A BRICS summit with a wider economic footprint
The 2026 summit comes at a time when BRICS has expanded well beyond its original Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa format. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined the grouping in 2024, while Indonesia subsequently became a full member.
With the expanded membership, the New Delhi summit is expected to place greater emphasis on economic connectivity and cooperation across the Global South.
The outcome to watch will therefore extend beyond the leaders’ declaration. For global businesses, the more important question is whether New Delhi can convert BRICS’ growing political influence into deeper trade, investment, technology partnerships and integrated supply chains.