BRICS: What are the main features, goals, and themes of India’s 2026 Presidency in the

BRICS: In 2026, India will succeed Brazil as the BRICS President. Among the main developing countries, the forum—which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has become a crucial venue for political discourse, economic collaboration, and shared development. At the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented India’s vision for the 2026 presidency, highlighting a people-centric and humanity-first strategy.

The notion of “humanity-first”
Aiming to put human welfare, equality, and inclusive development at the forefront of international economic and political debates, BRICS will concentrate on a “Humanity First” framework under India’s leadership.

“We will advance BRICS with a people-centric approach and the spirit of Humanity First, just as we brought inclusivity to our G20 Presidency and prioritized the concerns of the Global South,” PM Modi said.

India’s four main BRICS chairmanship pillars
The four main pillars of India’s vision serve as a summary of the next chairmanship’s priorities:

1. Adaptability

bolster member nations’ strategic and economic frameworks.
Increase your ability to endure future economic, environmental, or health-related shocks.
Promote collaboration in risk management, finance, and supply chains.
2. Creativity

Encourage cooperation in cutting-edge fields including digital infrastructure, biotechnology, sustainable energy, and artificial intelligence.
Encourage BRICS countries to collaborate on research projects, exchange expertise, and expand their startups.
3. Collaboration

Strengthen BRICS as a forum for discussion of political, cultural, and economic matters.
Boost cooperation on global issues such as international peace, public health, climate change, and the SDGs.
4. Sustainability

Pay attention to climate financing, sustainable urban development, and green energy transitions.
Align long-term ecological balance and environmental responsibility with economic prosperity.
India’s goals as president are to:

Organize summits and ministerial gatherings on topics including finance, health, technology, and climate change.
Use the New Development Bank (NDB) to advance sustainable infrastructure initiatives.
Strengthen alliances with regional economic blocs, the UN, and the G20.
Leaders from the BRICS countries as well as new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia met for the 17th BRICS Summit in July 2025 in Brazil. In 2026, India will formally assume the role of BRICS chairperson with the goal of revolutionizing the forum by putting humanity first and looking to the future.