BRICS Summit Opens in New Delhi as Xi, Putin and Pezeshkian Converge Amid Global Fractures

The annual BRICS summit opened in New Delhi on Friday, bringing together leaders of the world’s most prominent emerging economies at a moment of acute global fragmentation defined by active armed conflicts, an escalating tariff war, and intensifying geopolitical rivalries that are testing the cohesion of Western-led international institutions.

India, serving as this year’s host, welcomed a high-profile roster of heads of state, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Their presence underscores the weight the bloc places on this gathering as it seeks to project unity and chart a common course through an increasingly disordered international landscape.

The summit convenes against a backdrop that organisers and diplomats describe as one of the most volatile in recent memory. Wars in multiple regions, unresolved humanitarian crises, and a spate of tariff disputes—many emanating from Washington—have injected urgency into the bloc’s deliberations. For member states, the meeting represents both a platform to coordinate responses to protectionist trade policies and an opportunity to demonstrate that the grouping offers a viable alternative to frameworks dominated by Western powers.

Economic Cooperation and the Tariff Challenge

Trade friction is expected to dominate large portions of the agenda. In recent years, BRICS members have repeatedly voiced frustration with what they characterise as the weaponisation of tariffs and sanctions by advanced economies. The New Delhi summit is widely seen as a forum for advancing alternative payment mechanisms, strengthening intra-bloc trade corridors, and accelerating discussions on de-dollarisation—the long-running effort to reduce reliance on the US dollar in cross-border transactions.

Economists and policy analysts tracking the bloc note that while concrete breakthroughs on a common currency remain distant, incremental steps—such as expanding local-currency settlement arrangements and deepening the New Development Bank’s lending capacity—are realistic outcomes. The BRICS official platform has previously highlighted such mechanisms as central to the group’s long-term vision of financial sovereignty.

Geopolitical Positioning and Bloc Politics

Beyond economics, the summit is freighted with geopolitical significance. Each of the high-profile attendees arrives with distinct strategic imperatives. President Putin, navigating Russia’s continued isolation from much of the West, is likely to use the platform to reinforce partnerships and signal that Moscow remains deeply embedded in multilateral forums. President Xi, meanwhile, is expected to advocate for a more assertive Global South voice in international governance, aligning with Beijing’s broader push to reshape the rules-based order. For President Pezeshkian, the summit offers a critical stage to bolster Iran’s diplomatic and economic ties at a time of sustained external pressure.

BRICS has long framed itself as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions, and this year’s gathering is poised to reinforce that identity. Observers are watching closely for any joint statements that articulate a collective stance on ongoing conflicts, as well as signals on further enlargement of the bloc—a topic that has gained momentum since the last wave of expansion.

Sideline Diplomacy and What Comes Next

Much of the summit’s tangible outcomes often emerge from bilateral meetings held on the sidelines, and diplomats indicate that a series of one-on-one encounters between key leaders is scheduled throughout the weekend. These conversations are expected to cover not only trade and investment but also security coordination, energy partnerships, and technology cooperation.

As the three-day gathering unfolds, the world will be watching whether BRICS can translate its rhetorical ambition into coordinated action—or whether the centrifugal forces pulling its members in different directions will prove too strong. For now, the very act of convening at this scale in New Delhi sends a message that the bloc intends to remain a central player in the contest over the future shape of the global order.