India has assumed the presidency of BRICS for 2026. The first BRICS Sous-Sherpa meeting, held in New Delhi from 9 to 11 February 2026, set the tone for India’s chairmanship and the upcoming agendas for the year. The Secretary (Economic Relations) and India’s BRICS Sherpa, Sudhakar Dalela, outlined the key priorities and framework of India’s presidency, aligning them with Prime Minister Modi’s vision stated during BRICS 2025. PM Modi stated:
“Our goal will be to redefine BRICS as Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability. During our presidency, we will advance this forum with a people-centric approach and in the spirit of ‘Humanity First.'”
Shambhu L. Hakki, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Economic Relations), will be India’s BRICS Sous-Sherpa, supporting the Sherpa in conducting the meeting under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar participated and engaged with BRICS Sherpas and country representatives on 10 February to deliberate on the grouping’s priorities for the coming year. Taking to the social media platform X, he posted:
“As BRICS completes 20 years, it stands as a valuable forum for international cooperation, consultation and coordination, taking forward its people-centric agenda. I value the suggestions and perspectives brought in by different delegations to advance BRICS 2026 priorities of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.”
The Sherpa meeting included representatives from all 11 BRICS members (Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE) and addressed multilateral cooperation frameworks. Several ministries and departments of the Government of India outlined proposed initiatives across a wide spectrum of BRICS thematic areas, including health, agriculture, labour and employment, disaster risk reduction, environment, climate change, energy, innovation, information and communication technology, security and counter-terrorism, as well as economic and financial cooperation. Discussions also featured a substantive exchange of views on the institutional development of BRICS, underscoring the grouping’s evolution as a platform for structured coordination among emerging economies.
With India’s ‘people-centric’ approach, presentations were made on expanding cooperation in sports, youth engagement, cultural exchanges, and dialogue platforms such as the BRICS Academic Forum, the BRICS Think Tank Council, the BRICS Civil Forum, the BRICS Business Council, and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.
Representatives, including an envoy from a partner country, expressed support for India’s leadership and commitments to collaborative action on economic development, innovation, and sustainable cooperation. As part of the programme, delegates visited the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, as well as the Akshardham Temple, offering a cultural dimension to the diplomatic engagement.
The Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas are expected to meet regularly throughout the year to coordinate progress across thematic tracks, setting the groundwork for a substantive and outcome-orientated BRICS 2026 under India’s leadership.
On the Sidelines
On the sidelines of the BRICS Sherpa meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held the India-China Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart, Executive Vice Foreign Minister (EVFM) Ma Zhaoxu of China, who is in India to participate in the Sherpa meeting on 10 February 2026. The two sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues covering bilateral, regional, and international affairs.
Earlier in January, India unveiled the official BRICS 2026 website, along with the theme and a newly launched logo. The logo, featuring the ‘Namaste’ gesture, symbolises unity and mutual respect while visually integrating the core pillars of BRICS: political and security cooperation, economic and financial partnership, and people-to-people exchanges.
India will chair BRICS for the fourth time this year, having previously held the chairmanship in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
