New Delhi: On the second day of the 18th BRICS summit, leaders will hold an open session on Sunday, focusing on the core principles of the central theme – resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainable development – as India hosts the group’s annual summit under its chairmanship in 2026.
Session called “Resilience, Innovation, Collaboration and Sustainable Development: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth”will be held at the Summit Hall at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
The open meeting is part of the two-day BRICS summit, which will be held in India on September 12-13 under the chairmanship theme: “Creating Resilience, Innovation, Collaboration and Sustainable Development.”
The session is expected to provide an opportunity for BRICS leaders to discuss areas of mutual interest and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among member countries while promoting an inclusive approach to global growth.
Earlier, on Saturday, the BRICS leaders unanimously adopted New Delhi Declaration 2026Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the result as a reflection of BRICS, which is “broader in scope and stronger in purpose.”
In a series of posts on X, Prime Minister Modi said the declaration focuses on innovation, sustainable development and people-to-people connections to make cooperation “more practical, development-oriented and responsive to the aspirations of the BRICS countries.”
“I thank all the BRICS countries and their leaders for accepting it,” the Prime Minister said.
The presidency, which began on January 1, 2026, is guided by the theme “Creating Resilience, Innovation, Collaboration and Sustainable Development”applying a people-centred approach in all its core activities to strengthen institutional strength and support sustainable growth.
Under the resilience pillar, the Presidency seeks to strengthen economic, social and institutional frameworks, ensuring that Member States are better prepared to address global uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, health crises and climate hazards through robust, adaptable systems designed to drive inclusive progress.
The innovation component focuses on using new technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital government infrastructure and financial technology, to improve service delivery, promote future-ready economic growth, and promote shared knowledge sharing and technology cooperation across the bloc.
Through the cooperation pillar, India seeks to deepen ties among members by improving policy coherence, development finance, trade facilitation and joint engagement in multilateral governance reforms, placing practical cooperation and people-centred partnerships at the center of the group’s expanding reach.
Meanwhile, the sustainable development pillar encourages collective action on climate change mitigation, green finance, energy transition and sustainable development, while respecting individual national development priorities.
These issues form the basis of dialogues at various ministerial and working-level forums throughout the presidency year.
The grouping has emerged as a vital platform for diplomatic and political alignment among major emerging markets and developing countries, currently comprising 11 full members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, a partner country structure was introduced, covering 10 countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Collectively, this expanded alliance has significant demographic and economic influence, representing approximately 49.5 percent of the world’s population, 40 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), and 26 percent of international trade.
Continuing this legacy, India’s 2026 Presidency has combined established reform goals with expanded priorities, placing sustainability, innovation, collaboration and resilience at the center of the bloc’s collective agenda.
Leaders are expected to gather in New Delhi on the second day of the summit to discuss the grouping’s future priorities and assess its evolving role in global governance, economic cooperation and sustainable development.
The summit will also provide an opportunity for member countries to strengthen coordination on issues affecting developing countries and chart a path forward for the enlarged BRICS grouping.