New Delhi to Host 18th BRICS Summit Amid Global Trade Tensions

New Delhi will host the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, serving as a critical test for the expanded bloc's cohesion amid ongoing global conflicts and trade disputes. Originally a 2009 alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the group has shifted from an informal economic gathering into a structured political and security platform.

The bloc's scale changed significantly in 2023 with the inclusion of Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the UAE. This expansion transforms BRICS from a concentrated group of emerging markets into a broader geopolitical entity covering diverse regions and economic systems.

As this year's chair, India intends to steer the summit toward multilateralism, food security, and the energy transition. New Delhi is positioning the summit to align these global agendas with its own geopolitical interests and the broader framework of South-South cooperation.

However, the transition from a five-member core to a larger collective introduces structural friction. The bloc now operates with wider gaps in economic priorities and differing views on global governance, creating a tension between its expanded membership and its ability to maintain a unified policy direction.