New Delhi — India will host the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on May 14–15, bringing senior diplomats from member and partner countries to the capital as New Delhi steers the bloc during its 2026 chairship. The two-day gathering is being framed as the key forum to shape the agenda for the leaders’ summit later this year.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the meeting will be chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and will include ‘‘foreign ministers and heads of delegations from member and partner countries,’’ who will also pay a joint call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India, which unveiled the BRICS 2026 logo and website earlier this year, has set the chairship theme as “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The emphasis draws on the country’s ‘‘Humanity First’’ and ‘‘People-Centric’’ priorities highlighted by Prime Minister Modi at the 2025 Rio summit.
This is the fourth time India has hosted BRICS meetings. The foreign ministers’ meeting is being treated as the principal mechanism to develop outcomes and priorities for the leaders’ meeting later in 2026. Jaiswal said ministers will ‘‘exchange views on global and regional issues of mutual interest,’’ and the programme includes sessions focused on the group’s first two decades under the chairship theme.
A later session will examine reforms to global governance and the multilateral system — a strategic continuation of discussions begun at previous BRICS gatherings. The last BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting took place on the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2025.
Diplomatic arrivals have already begun, the MEA said. According to the official schedule, visiting delegations are expected to arrive at Bharat Mandapam at 10:00 am on Thursday, with the first session starting at 10:30 am. Delegations will proceed to Seva Teerth at 1:00 pm for a joint call on the Prime Minister, return for a 3:10 pm second session, and conclude the first day with a dinner hosted by EAM Jaishankar at 7:00 pm. The meeting resumes at 10:00 am on Friday, May 15.
To ensure transparency, the MEA will stream opening remarks from each session on its YouTube channel and on DD News. Photographs will be shared on the MEA’s Flickr account and distributed via wire services.
When asked about confirmations, Jaiswal said the ministry will provide updates on participation, dates and the list of leaders ‘‘at the appropriate time.’’ Moscow has already confirmed its attendance: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to travel to India for the meeting on May 14–15.
The BRICS grouping now comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Hosting the 18th BRICS Summit and presiding over meetings this year places India in a pivotal role as the expanded forum seeks consensus among a wider and more politically diverse membership. The foreign ministers’ meeting will be an early test of New Delhi’s ability to bridge differing perspectives while advancing the chairship’s stated priorities.
