As leaders gather in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12, 2026, the expanded bloc of ten core nations faces deep internal divisions and diplomatic friction. Rapid expansion and conflicting geopolitical ambitions have strained consensus, overshadowing host India’s agenda of resilience and cooperation.
When the bloc announced its landmark expansion at the 2023 summit in Johannesburg, Western capitals took swift notice. By the time the dust settled, BRICS had grown from five founding members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—to ten core states. Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined the ranks alongside a newly established tier of ten partner countries.
Yet, arriving in New Delhi this September, the mood resembles a fractured family gathering rather than a triumphant march of the Global South. Host India has labored over a sophisticated agenda titled “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” But administrative indigestion and stark policy disagreements threaten to stall the bloc’s momentum.
Cracks in the Foundation and Diplomatic Deadlocks
The grouping’s internal friction surfaced almost immediately after its expansion. The most unexpected tremors originated within the African contingent, where new members Egypt and Ethiopia declined to endorse South Africa as a member of a reformed U.N. Security Council, despite prior understandings.
Diplomatic paralysis soon followed. In September 2024, a BRICS foreign ministers meeting failed to issue a joint statement for the first time in the bloc’s history. That failure repeated itself during a follow-up meeting in April 2025. By the time the annual leaders’ declaration was drafted in Rio later that year, references to South Africa’s UN ambitions were quietly dropped, leaving only Brazil and India in that specific paragraph.
Geopolitical Crosswinds and Middle East Conflict
The outbreak of warfare involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in early 2026 further strained the fragile coalition. While Brazil successfully shepherded a joint statement during the early, contained phases of the conflict, that consensus shattered as hostilities expanded to involve the United Arab Emirates.
When foreign ministers reconvened in May 2026, they once again failed to produce a joint communique. National security advisors fared no better. Acrimonious exchanges erupted between Iran and the UAE. Tehran insisted that standard BRICS condemnations of terrorism must explicitly include what it termed “state terrorism,” targeting the United States and Israel. Other member states firmly resisted that expansion. Ultimately, India stepped in to issue a chair’s statement summarizing the proceedings.
Major-power competition has consistently tested the bloc’s boundaries. In January 2026, South Africa hosted a naval drill involving China, Iran, and Russia. Pretoria extended invitations to all BRICS members, but responses varied sharply. The UAE docked a single corvette without active participation, while Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia sent observers only. New Delhi stayed away entirely, publicly distancing itself by characterizing the maneuvers as a strictly South African initiative rather than institutionalized BRICS policy.
| Event / Milestone | Date | Core Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg Summit Expansion | 2023 | BRICS expands from 5 to 10 core members, welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE. |
| First Joint Statement Failure | September 2024 | Foreign ministers fail to issue a consensus statement for the first time in the group’s history. |
| South African-Led Naval Drills | January 2026 | Joint exercises with China, Iran, and Russia expose deep divides over military alignment among members. |
| 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi | September 2026 | Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts intensive bilateral diplomacy amid ongoing consensus struggles. |
Bilateral Diplomacy at Bharat Mandapam
Away from the plenary friction, the ground game in New Delhi centers on intensive bilateral diplomacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled a packed series of high-level meetings at the Bharat Mandapam convention center.
Modi’s engagements include meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside leaders from Burundi, Nigeria, and Uganda.
The overarching question for international observers remains whether BRICS can transform its numerical growth into genuine geopolitical leverage. As the summit concludes, the world watches to see if pragmatism can bridge the widening chasms between member states.
What path do you see for the expanded bloc? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Related reading
- UK, France, and Canada Escalate Diplomatic Sanctions Against Israel
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- PM Modi and Global Leaders Convene for Final Day of BRICS Summit 2026 (world-today-journal.com)
- Modi, Xi Reaffirm Border Commitment at BRICS Summit (time.news)
