Adedokun Waliyu 
BRICS member and partner countries have begun arriving in New Delhi, India, ahead of the group’s 18th Summit scheduled to take place on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam.
The international geopolitical and economic organisation comprises 11 member countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the early hours of Friday, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to arrive later in the day.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive on Saturday around 12:15 p.m., marking his first visit to India in almost seven years.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, who arrived on Friday, will represent President Bola Tinubu at the summit, where he will join other world leaders to discuss major global issues.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo have also arrived in New Delhi.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will represent the United Arab Emirates, while Brazil will be represented by its Foreign Affairs Minister, Mauro Vieira.
Other high-level participants expected at the summit include United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are also expected to attend.
Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mario Lubetkin, and World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus are among other expected participants.
The summit will also feature representatives from Cuba, Belarus, Bahrain, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia, as well as World Trade Organisation Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability,” the summit brings together the 11 BRICS member nations, representing roughly 49 per cent of the world’s population and 40 per cent of global GDP, alongside 10 BRICS partner countries.
The summit is scheduled to open with a closed-door session for core members focused on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
Leaders will also tour the Bharat Innovates Exhibition, participate in a joint tree-planting ceremony and attend a gala dinner hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is expected to hold several bilateral meetings.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi will welcome leaders from partner countries and outreach invitees for a broader session focused on “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
