The BRICS Summit 2026, scheduled for September 12-13 in New Delhi, faces mounting internal and external pressures. A failed foreign ministers’ meeting in May ended without a joint statement after Iran and the UAE clashed over Middle East conflicts. U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats target BRICS de-dollarization plans, while Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit adds diplomatic friction. These developments challenge India’s chairmanship and test the bloc’s unity ahead of the summit.
The BRICS Summit 2026 runs September 12 and 13 in New Delhi, closing out India’s chairmanship. The ten-nation bloc’s foreign ministers met on May 14 and 15 but failed to produce a joint declaration for the first time in years. India issued a Chair’s Statement instead, after the group could not agree on wording covering the war in the Middle East.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the UAE of direct involvement in the aggression against Iran. “The UAE was directly involved in the aggression against my country. When the attacks started, they didn’t even issue a condemnation.” The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended its position, stating that Minister of State Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar had “affirmed the UAE’s categorical rejection of Iranian claims and attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks targeting the UAE.”
Washington has added pressure, targeting BRICS de-dollarization plans. In July 2025, President Donald Trump warned that any country siding with the bloc’s move away from the dollar would face an additional 10% tariff. “Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy.” White House senior counselor Peter Navarro questioned whether the bloc could hold together, stating “the bottom line is that none of these countries can survive if they don’t sell to the United States.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to attend, marking his first visit to India since the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash. Chinese officials reportedly requested limited media access for Tibetan and Falun Gong outlets at the summit venue. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also plan to attend. The BRICS Summit 2026 is now a test of India’s ability to hold the bloc together.
