INDIA and BRICS 2026
India and BRICS 2026: How India Is Turning Global South Cooperation Into Development, Technology and Global Leadership
Introduction
BRICS has evolved from a dialogue among four emerging economies into one of the world's most consequential platforms for the Global South. For India, BRICS is not simply a diplomatic gathering. It is an opportunity to influence how developing economies cooperate on finance, technology, food security, healthcare, energy, trade and global governance.
India assumed its fourth BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026. Its theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” deliberately placed practical development at the centre of the agenda. Before the New Delhi leaders' summit, India had already organised more than 350 meetings and high-level engagements across 25 cities, covering political cooperation, finance, trade, agriculture, health, education, energy and people-to-people exchanges.
The 18th BRICS Summit was then hosted in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September 2026, with Bharat Mandapam becoming the centre of diplomacy involving some of the world's largest emerging economies.
But India's BRICS story is bigger than a summit.
It is about what India has contributed to BRICS, what BRICS means to the developing world, how India's own technological progress strengthens its international role and how even the infrastructure, civic planning and citizens of Delhi became part of hosting the world.
What BRICS Means to the World
BRICS matters because it gives emerging and developing economies a platform to influence rules and institutions that affect global trade, finance, technology and development.
Official Indian material describes the expanded BRICS as representing around 49.5% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi similarly told the 2026 BRICS Business Forum that the grouping now represents roughly half of humanity, 40% of global GDP and more than one-quarter of global trade.
For the world, BRICS therefore represents something deeper than economic size. It is a platform through which major emerging economies can argue for a more representative international order, develop new financial institutions, exchange technology and give the Global South a larger role in decision-making.
India has increasingly tried to ensure that this influence is linked to solutions, not simply political statements.
How India Has Helped BRICS
India was one of the original four BRIC countries, together with Brazil, Russia and China. Over successive chairships, India has helped turn the grouping into a more institutional and development-focused platform.
Area | What India contributed | How it helps BRICS and the wider world |
Founding role | India was one of the original BRIC economies and helped establish the political dialogue | Gives emerging economies a collective platform in global governance |
New Development Bank | At the 2012 New Delhi Summit, BRICS leaders advanced the proposal for a development bank | The idea became the NDB, financing infrastructure and sustainable development across emerging economies |
Agriculture | India led the 2026 Indore Declaration and new cooperation on food security, climate-resilient agriculture and digital farming | Helps countries address food security and farmer welfare together |
Energy | India launched the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage | Builds cooperation in resilient electricity networks, storage and energy transition technologies |
Trade & MSMEs | India led the Jaipur Consensus and principles for MSME credit | Helps smaller businesses access trade finance and international markets |
Startups & Industry | India proposed a BRICS Incubator Network and BRICS Startup Innovation Fund | Connects entrepreneurs, MSMEs, industrial ecosystems and investors across member economies |
Healthcare | India advanced digital health, disease surveillance, mental wellness and resilient public-health systems | Gives developing countries frameworks for cooperation on future health challenges |
Education & Skills | India prioritised skills, research, innovation and mutual recognition of qualifications | Creates opportunities for talent mobility and knowledge cooperation |
Deep-tech diplomacy | India hosted the BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition with 37 Indian deep-tech innovators | Connected Indian startups with BRICS investors, CEOs and international institutions |
Nationwide diplomacy | More than 350 BRICS engagements were organised across 25 Indian cities | Took international diplomacy beyond Delhi and exposed delegations to India's regions, businesses and institutions |
India Helped BRICS Create a Development Institution
One of India's most important historical contributions came during the 2012 New Delhi BRICS Summit.
That summit advanced the proposal to explore the establishment of a development bank capable of financing infrastructure and sustainable-development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies. That idea ultimately became the New Development Bank.
The NDB now reports $42.9 billion in approved financing across 139 projects. Its projects include clean energy, transport infrastructure, housing, water and sanitation, and other development priorities.
This is important because it shows what BRICS can achieve when political dialogue becomes an institution.
For India, the lesson is clear: global influence is stronger when it produces roads, metros, homes, renewable energy and infrastructure rather than declarations alone.
India Is Making BRICS More Relevant to Farmers
Agriculture is particularly important for India because developing economies are highly vulnerable to food inflation, climate change and disruptions to global supply chains.
Under India's 2026 Chairship, the BRICS Agriculture Ministers met in Indore and unanimously adopted the Indore Declaration.
The agenda placed emphasis on food security, nutrition, farmer livelihoods, agricultural trade, regenerative farming, climate resilience, digital agriculture, research and investment.
India also helped advance new platforms for agro-ecology and digital agriculture. Official 2026 outcomes include a BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture involving technologies such as AI-based decision support, geospatial intelligence, IoT monitoring and data analytics.
This is a strong example of India helping move agricultural diplomacy from speeches to practical knowledge-sharing.
India Is Building a BRICS Energy Cooperation Network
Energy is another area where India's Chairship produced a permanent mechanism.
At the BRICS Energy Ministers' Meeting in Gurugram in June 2026, India launched the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage.
The objective is to promote knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and practical cooperation in smart electricity grids and energy storage, both essential for countries increasing their use of renewable energy.
This matters globally because developing economies face a difficult challenge: they need more electricity for development while simultaneously transitioning towards cleaner and more resilient energy systems.
India is positioning itself as a country able to contribute solutions to both sides of that equation.
India Is Bringing Small Businesses Into Global Diplomacy
Global trade discussions often focus on governments and multinational corporations. India's 2026 BRICS trade agenda gave greater attention to MSMEs.
At the Trade Ministers' Meeting in Jaipur, BRICS members adopted the Jaipur Consensus and Guiding Principles for MSME Credit, aimed at addressing the trade-finance gap faced by smaller businesses.
Members also commended India's leadership in advancing work towards the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2030.
The Industry Ministers' Meeting, also hosted in Jaipur, strengthened cooperation on MSMEs, startups, photovoltaics and logistics. India proposed both a BRICS Incubator Network and a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund.
This is how BRICS can gradually move from being a forum for governments to becoming useful for entrepreneurs.
India Is Expanding Global Health Cooperation Through BRICS
India's health agenda has also been unusually practical.
The 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting supported an Integrated Early Warning System for prevention and response to mass infectious diseases and endorsed a BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, coordinated by India's NIMHANS.
India also demonstrated its digital-health experience. A BRICS digital-health dialogue in July 2026 reported more than 940 million ABHA IDs and one billion linked digital health records in India's ecosystem.
For countries attempting to expand healthcare access across large populations, India is therefore contributing not just policy ideas but working examples of population-scale digital infrastructure.
Hosting BRICS 2026: Bharat Mandapam Became India's Global Stage
India's hosting strategy was designed to show both traditional Indian hospitality and the capabilities of a modern economy.
The leaders' summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, while the BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition was organised there on 11 and 12 September alongside summit activities.
The exhibition featured 37 Indian deep-tech innovators, connecting startups and higher-education innovators with BRICS business leaders, investors, research institutions and governments.
In other words, Bharat Mandapam was not used merely as a meeting hall.
It became a showcase for India's technology, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
Delhi Was Lit Up to Welcome BRICS
The preparation extended well beyond the summit venue.
Ahead of the summit, the New Delhi Municipal Council beautified key corridors linking the airport, hotels and Bharat Mandapam.
Major roundabouts including Patel Chowk, Mandi House and Teen Murti received decorative lighting. BRICS-themed LED signage appeared along important roads, and officials reported more than 15,000 ornamental plants, special treatment of 17 major roundabouts, floral installations and additional lighting at hotels and NDMC buildings.
Bharat Mandapam itself was photographed illuminated ahead of the summit.
Cleaning and sanitation were also intensified around summit routes and locations including Bharat Mandapam, Lodhi Road, Nizamuddin and other key areas.
The cityscape therefore became part of India's diplomatic presentation.
Controlled Traffic: How Delhi Managed a Global Summit
Moving multiple heads of government safely through one of the world's busiest cities required highly controlled traffic management.
Delhi Traffic Police created a controlled area in Central Delhi, established 22 diversion points, and prepared separate arrangements for railway-station and airport passengers. More than 35 roads were affected during summit-related rehearsals and movements, and citizens were repeatedly encouraged to use the Metro wherever possible.
Schools were closed on 11 September as part of the city's preparations, while reporting ahead of the summit noted that a number of private organisations opted for work-from-home arrangements to reduce pressure on the roads.
The restrictions were inconvenient for some residents and congestion did occur on certain stretches, particularly when rain or breakdowns compounded the summit controls.
That is worth acknowledging. Hosting major international summits requires balancing security, mobility and normal urban life.
How Delhi's Citizens Helped Host BRICS
Citizens were not formal summit delegates, but their cooperation mattered.
Commuters adjusted travel times, followed diversion plans and were encouraged to shift to Metro services. Families dealt with school closures. Employees worked remotely where organisations permitted it. Residents and businesses around controlled zones adapted to temporary security restrictions.
That contribution should not be exaggerated, but it should not be ignored either.
A diplomatic summit succeeds because police, civic workers, engineers, gardeners, sanitation teams, hotel staff, businesses and ordinary residents all adjust their routines.
Delegates and their families also experienced Delhi outside the conference venue, visiting places such as Akshardham, Connaught Place, Khan Market and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya.
India's soft power was therefore carried not only through official speeches, but through the city itself.
Beyond BRICS: What Technological India Brings to the Table
India's credibility inside BRICS is also strengthened by capabilities that are not themselves BRICS programmes.
Space exploration, semiconductor manufacturing and hydrogen-powered rail are national Indian programmes. But they demonstrate the kind of technological capability India can bring into South-South partnerships, technology transfer, industrial cooperation and future BRICS initiatives.
India's Performance in Space, Semiconductors and Hydrogen Mobility
Sector | India's position in 2026 | Why it matters globally and for BRICS |
Space | Chandrayaan-3 made India the first country to soft-land near the Moon's south polar region. Aditya-L1 became India's first solar observatory. SPADEX made India the fourth country to demonstrate docking and undocking in space. | Space technologies support communications, agriculture, climate monitoring, disaster response and navigation, all relevant to developing economies |
Space startups | Around 440 registered space startups were reported by August 2026; India's space economy was estimated at about $9 billion, with projections of roughly $40–45 billion over the coming decade. | Shows how public science can create a commercial innovation ecosystem and attract investment |
Human spaceflight | Gaganyaan reached major human-rating milestones, with the first uncrewed mission carrying Vyommitra targeted for Q4 2026. | Demonstrates growing capability in complex engineering, life-support systems and human-rated launch technology |
Semiconductors | India had 12 semiconductor manufacturing projects approved with investment commitments above ₹1.64 lakh crore; three had begun commercial production. | Strengthens supply-chain resilience in chips required for AI, telecom, vehicles, power electronics and defence |
Semicon 2.0 | The Cabinet approved ₹1,27,500 crore for Semicon 2.0 in July 2026, covering design, fabrication, packaging, equipment, materials, R&D and talent. | Positions India as a potential manufacturing and design partner for countries seeking diversified technology supply chains |
Hydrogen rail | India's first indigenous hydrogen-powered train was flagged off on the Jind–Sonipat route on 17 July 2026. By 25 July it had travelled more than 1,200 km and saved more than 3,200 litres of diesel. | Demonstrates a domestic clean-mobility technology that could become relevant to rail decarbonisation internationally |
Hydrogen technology | The 10-coach hydrogen train uses fuel cells to generate electricity onboard, with water vapour as the local exhaust by-product and dedicated hydrogen storage infrastructure at Jind. | Provides India with practical experience in green hydrogen applications beyond industrial pilots |
India in Space: From Chandrayaan to a Commercial Ecosystem
India's space programme is increasingly significant because it combines scientific missions with a growing private sector.
Between July 2023 and June 2026, India successfully launched 12 launch-vehicle missions, 11 national satellites and nine satellites for international customers.
Chandrayaan-3 demonstrated India's lunar capability. Aditya-L1 expanded India's scientific work into solar observation. SPADEX demonstrated docking and undocking technology essential for future space stations and complex missions.
Meanwhile, private participation has expanded rapidly. Official figures put the number of registered space startups at around 440 by August 2026.
This gives India something valuable to contribute to BRICS and the wider Global South: relatively cost-conscious space technology applied not only to exploration, but also agriculture, weather forecasting, communications and disaster management.
India's Semiconductor Push: From Chip Consumer to Chip Producer
Semiconductors sit at the heart of AI, smartphones, automobiles, communications equipment, satellites and defence systems.
India's semiconductor strategy has moved from policy to physical manufacturing.
By mid-2026, 12 semiconductor manufacturing projects had been approved across six states, with investment commitments exceeding ₹1.64 lakh crore. Three facilities had entered commercial production.
The July 2026 approval of Semicon 2.0, with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore, extended the strategy into design, equipment, materials, fabrication, advanced packaging, R&D and workforce development.
This matters beyond India.
A more geographically diversified semiconductor industry reduces global supply-chain concentration. For BRICS countries seeking industrial resilience, India's semiconductor ecosystem can eventually become an important manufacturing and technology partnership opportunity.
India's Hydrogen Train: Innovation on the Railway Network
India's first indigenous hydrogen-powered train is another example of turning clean-technology ambitions into operational infrastructure.
The train began service on the Jind–Sonipat section on 17 July 2026. Indian Railways says hydrogen and oxygen react in fuel cells to generate onboard electricity, with water vapour rather than conventional diesel exhaust at the point of use.
Within the first phase of operation it travelled more than 1,200 kilometres and saved over 3,200 litres of diesel, according to the Ministry of Railways.
The importance is not just one train.
The project gives India practical experience in hydrogen storage, refuelling, fuel cells, battery integration and rail safety.
These are capabilities that can eventually contribute to broader international clean-transport cooperation.
How India Is Shaping the World Through BRICS
India's broader global argument is becoming clearer.
It is saying that emerging economies should not only ask for a larger seat at global institutions. They should also build technologies, financial institutions and development frameworks capable of solving their own problems.
The New Development Bank demonstrates this in finance.
India's digital-health architecture demonstrates it in public services.
The Indore Declaration demonstrates it in agriculture.
The BRICS smart-grid centre demonstrates it in energy.
The Jaipur Consensus demonstrates it in small-business finance.
And India's progress in space, semiconductors and hydrogen mobility gives the country greater technological credibility when it speaks about development and innovation.
These initiatives do not mean that every Indian model can simply be copied elsewhere. Different countries have different legal, economic and social systems.
India's contribution is more useful when understood as a set of tested experiences that other countries can study, adapt and improve.
BRICS 2026 Was Also a Showcase of a Changing India
Hosting BRICS gave India an opportunity to connect global diplomacy with the physical and technological transformation it wants to project internationally.
At Bharat Mandapam, world leaders met alongside Indian deep-tech innovators.
Outside the venue, roads and roundabouts were illuminated, landscaped and decorated.
Across Delhi, police created controlled corridors and Metro-based travel alternatives.
Across India, more than 350 BRICS meetings had already taken diplomacy to 25 cities.
Behind all of it were thousands of officials, police personnel, sanitation workers, gardeners, transport staff, hospitality employees, entrepreneurs and citizens.
That wider participation is important because international leadership is not produced by governments alone.
It is supported by institutions and people.
Conclusion: From Global Voice to Global Contribution
BRICS gives India a larger platform in a rapidly changing international system.
But India's most significant opportunity is not simply to become louder.
It is to become more useful.
India can contribute development finance through institutions such as the NDB, digital systems that operate at population scale, agricultural cooperation focused on farmers, health platforms designed for wider access, energy technologies for a cleaner transition and industrial capabilities in sectors such as semiconductors, space and hydrogen mobility.
The 2026 Chairship showed the direction India wants BRICS to take:
from dialogue to delivery, from declarations to institutions, and from geopolitical influence to practical development.
If that approach continues, India's impact through BRICS will not be measured only by how prominently it sits at the negotiating table.
It will be measured by whether ideas developed in India help create better infrastructure, stronger businesses, healthier people, more resilient food systems, cleaner technology and greater opportunity across the Global South.
And that is perhaps the larger story of India in BRICS:
India is trying to use its rise not only to shape the world's conversations, but increasingly to shape the world's solutions.
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