NEW DELHI — GTNS, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in New Delhi as India intensified diplomatic consultations ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12–13.
The meeting focused on the India-Brazil bilateral relationship, cooperation within BRICS and the rapidly evolving geopolitical environment. Vieira’s presence in New Delhi comes as senior officials from member countries arrive for the summit hosted by India.
The discussions assume added importance because India and Brazil are among the founding members of BRICS and have traditionally worked together on issues concerning the Global South, multilateral institutions and development cooperation.
BRICS DIPLOMACY TAKES CENTRE STAGE
India’s BRICS chairship comes at a particularly complex geopolitical moment. Conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, economic uncertainty and tensions between major powers are creating competing priorities among the expanded 11-member grouping.
New Delhi is seeking to use the summit to strengthen practical cooperation while maintaining space for dialogue among countries with different foreign-policy positions.
Financial and economic cooperation is expected to remain an important component of the BRICS agenda. India is pushing an initiative to improve interoperability between members’ digital payment systems, including discussions around linking central-bank digital currencies for faster cross-border transactions.
INDIA-BRAZIL PARTNERSHIP
The Jaishankar-Vieira engagement also reinforces the importance India attaches to its relationship with Brazil as the two countries navigate a changing international system.
Both New Delhi and Brasília have advocated a greater voice for developing countries in global institutions and have supported stronger cooperation among countries of the Global South.
With BRICS expanding its membership and international profile, coordination between India and Brazil could become increasingly important in shaping the bloc’s economic and diplomatic priorities.
DELHI BECOMES GLOBAL DIPLOMATIC HUB
The meeting took place as New Delhi prepared for the arrival of several heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The presence of leaders representing different geopolitical interests makes the 2026 summit a significant test for India’s ability to balance competing positions while keeping the focus on cooperation.
For New Delhi, the Jaishankar-Vieira meeting is part of a wider diplomatic effort to build consensus before the leaders meet.
As BRICS moves toward its New Delhi summit, India and Brazil are expected to remain important partners in the effort to translate the grouping’s growing global weight into practical cooperation and a stronger voice for the Global South.