India will host the BRICS Summit in 2026, with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expected to attend. The summit takes place against the backdrop of ongoing West Asia conflict, making India's role as host diplomatically significant. India assumed the BRICS chairmanship following Russia's 2024 presidency, and the 2026 summit represents a major multilateral test of India's foreign policy balancing act between Global South solidarity and Western alliances.

BRICS — originally Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa — was conceptualised by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 as 'BRIC' to describe fast-growing emerging economies. The formal grouping was established in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010. In 2023, during South Africa's presidency, BRICS expanded significantly: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were invited to join, with most becoming full members in 2024. This expansion, called BRICS+, signals a structural shift in the grouping's geopolitical weight.

India hosting the 2026 BRICS Summit carries layered significance. First, the presence of Putin tests India's long-standing 'strategic autonomy' doctrine — Russia is under ICC arrest warrant, yet India-Russia ties remain foundational. Second, Pezeshkian's attendance places Iran centre-stage at an India-hosted event amid active West Asia conflict, highlighting India's energy dependence on the region and its interest in regional de-escalation. Third, Xi's presence carries the weight of the ongoing LAC boundary management process post-Galwan.

For exam purposes, the key static knowledge includes: BRICS was institutionalised via the 1st Summit in Yekaterinburg (2009); it operates on the principle of consensus; the New Development Bank (NDB), headquartered in Shanghai, was established in 2014 to fund infrastructure in member nations; and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) was set up to provide short-term liquidity support. India's past BRICS chairmanship was in 2021 (virtual summit due to COVID). The 2026 chairmanship brings India back to centre stage with expanded BRICS membership as the new testing variable.