NEW DELHI: The BRICS summit in New Delhi is being overshadowed by wars, geopolitical rivalries and deep divisions among its members, exposing the difficulty of turning the expanding group into a coherent force in global affairs.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and leaders of the other BRICS members for talks on trade, investment and global conflicts.
But the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, alongside rising US-China tensions, have placed the bloc’s competing interests under the spotlight.
Xi arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the 18th BRICS summit, Chinese state media reported.
“At noon on September 12, local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi by special plane. He will attend the 18th BRICS summit at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.
Wars Expose Divisions
The Iran and Ukraine conflicts present particularly difficult challenges for BRICS.
Iran is a member of the expanded bloc, while Russia remains one of its most influential members. China maintains close ties with both Moscow and Tehran, while India has sought to maintain relationships with Russia, Iran, the United States and Europe.
“The Global South is not a homogeneous entity,” said Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.
“Hence, the grouping will find it hard to manage and mediate in these conflicts.”
🇮🇷 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives in New Delhi for the two-day BRICS summit, where the Middle East conflict is expected to dominate discussions. Pezeshkian, on his first visit to India as president, is also set to meet PM Narendra Modi.
The two-day BRICS summit opens… pic.twitter.com/NdWlNZkA5e— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) September 11, 2026
The differences extend beyond the major wars. BRICS includes countries with competing regional interests, including India and China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Egypt and Ethiopia.
That diversity makes it difficult for the grouping to adopt a strong common position on major international crises.
BRICS Members Balance Rivalries
Russia’s war in Ukraine has already tested India’s ability to balance its competing relationships.
New Delhi has maintained close ties with Moscow, including in energy and defence, while simultaneously deepening its strategic partnership with Washington.
India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy rather than openly taking sides in the war.
WATCH: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India ahead of the BRICS summit, where wars in Iran and Ukraine, energy security and global trade tensions are set to dominate discussions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are also expected… pic.twitter.com/6HfrGxZ1DO— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) September 11, 2026
The Iran-US conflict presents a similar dilemma. BRICS members have different relationships with Washington and conflicting interests in the Middle East.
China and Russia have backed Iran in international forums, while India has taken a more cautious approach. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also have their own tensions with Tehran.
Dollar Challenge
Reducing dependence on the US dollar remains another major BRICS ambition.
Members have discussed increasing trade in their own currencies and developing payment mechanisms that could reduce reliance on Western financial institutions.
The push has gained momentum as countries such as Russia face sweeping Western sanctions. But replacing the dollar remains difficult because it is deeply embedded in global trade and finance, while BRICS members have different currencies, financial systems and economic priorities.
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Retired Indian diplomat Mahesh Sachdev said the aim was not necessarily to confront the dollar directly, but to reduce countries’ exposure to a financial system that can be used as a tool of political pressure.
“It’s a challenge, but we’re not talking about frontal confrontations. It’s not a binary situation,” he said.
Influence At Stake
BRICS has expanded significantly since it was founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006, with South Africa joining in 2010. The group now has 11 members and represents about half the world’s population and a significant share of global economic output.
Its members have called for greater representation for developing countries in global institutions and alternatives to Western-dominated financial systems.
But its growing size may also make consensus harder.
The group’s influence will depend on whether its members can translate their shared calls for a more multipolar global order into practical cooperation despite their geopolitical differences.
Sachdev said BRICS needs a “more cohesive attitude and better harmony” among its members.
“If it remains just a periodic talking shop and photo ops,” he said, “then its relevance erodes.”
Donthi said the bloc could still demonstrate its value through smaller steps, including keeping the expanded group together, strengthening economic ties and providing developing countries with a platform without forcing them to choose between Western and non-Western blocs.
For now, however, the summit is taking place against a backdrop of wars and rivalries that underline one of BRICS’ biggest weaknesses: its members may agree on the need for a greater role in global affairs, but they remain deeply divided over how that role should be exercised.
