The 18th summit of the BRICS, an alliance of developing economies, begins in New Delhi, India, on Saturday (September 12). Extensive security arrangements have been made in the capital surrounding the summit.
Surveillance has been increased at important areas and VVIP routes, and a high-tech control room has been set up to monitor the movements of world leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Friday night to attend the summit, which is also being attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pjeshkian, and the heads of state of South Africa and Indonesia.
This year’s conference is considered particularly important in the context of the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East and the global energy crisis. The meeting is likely to discuss strengthening economic cooperation among member countries, the use of alternative currencies in international trade, the Middle East crisis, regional security, and changing geopolitics.
Representatives from 11 BRICS members and 10 partner countries are participating in this year’s summit. The alliance’s scope has expanded with the addition of new members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates, in 2024. While BRICS has played a role in increasing multilateralism in the global system, analysts say the alliance still faces major challenges as a full alternative to Western-led institutions.