BRICS key takeaways: Modi and Xi among biggest winners at this year's summit
The 2026 BRICS summit in New Delhi highlighted the group's growing influence and internal power dynamics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully navigated internal fissures to secure a joint declaration among the 11 member nations.
Why it matters
BRICS is increasingly positioning itself as a counterweight to Western-led economic institutions, making its internal cohesion a critical factor in global geopolitics.
Narendra Modi shakes hands with Vladimir Putin during day two of the 2026 BRICS Summit. ( Reuters: India's Press Information Bureau )
Link copied Share Share article Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi squeezing each other's hands and beaming at one another at this year's BRICS Summit is a powerful image.
But it was another photograph, on the sidelines of the meeting, that hinted at the growing influence of BRICS.
To understand why, it helps to understand what BRICS is.
What is BRICS and why do countries want to join?
It's a group of 11 major emerging economies originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006 when they came together on the sidelines of the G20. South Africa joined a few years later, and additional members Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia were added about two years ago.
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