UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India, which holds the BRICS chairship for 2026, will host the summit at Bharat Mandapam. Guterres’ participation was indicated by his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during a recent press briefing. The summit will bring together leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees. The visit adds diplomatic importance to India’s BRICS presidency as the grouping marks its 20th anniversary.Why Will Guterres Attend BRICS?Antonio Guterres participation comes as India prepares to host the annual BRICS leaders’ meeting under its 2026 chairship. The summit will focus on cooperation among member countries and discussions on major regional and global issues. India has chosen “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” as the theme for its chairship.Guterres is expected at the 18th BRICS Summit.The summit will take place on September 12–13.Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi is the main venue.India is holding the BRICS chairship throughout 2026.BRICS is completing 20 years in 2026.India Leads BRICS In 2026India assumed the BRICS chairship on January 1, 2026, marking its fourth time leading the grouping after previous chairships in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The government has organised more than 350 meetings and high-level engagements across more than 25 Indian cities during the chairship.The 2026 agenda covers BRICS cooperation across political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people areas. India has also promoted resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability as key priorities. The leaders’ summit will provide an opportunity to review these efforts and discuss wider international developments.Also Read: Delhi Traffic Advisory Issued For BRICS 2026 Motorcade RehearsalGuterres Visit Adds Diplomatic WeightGuterres’ expected presence gives the New Delhi meeting a wider multilateral dimension. His participation was indicated by UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, although reports noted that the UN had not yet issued a separate formal announcement at the time of the initial briefing.The visit could also create opportunities for discussions involving the UN and BRICS members on international issues. However, specific bilateral meetings between Guterres and individual leaders should not be treated as confirmed unless officially announced. Guterres had earlier visited New Delhi in February 2026 for the India AI Impact Summit, where he participated in discussions on artificial intelligence and global cooperation.Key HighlightsAntonio Guterres is set to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit.India will host the summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.The main summit is scheduled for September 12–13, 2026.India assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1.BRICS is marking its 20th anniversary this year.India’s chairship theme focuses on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.Guterres Visit Strengthens BRICS SpotlightThe expected participation of Antonio Guterres places additional international attention on the 2026 BRICS Summit in India. The meeting comes as BRICS marks two decades of its existence and India seeks to advance cooperation across economic, security and people-focused areas.With the summit approaching, New Delhi is preparing to host leaders from BRICS member and partner countries as well as outreach invitees. The final schedule and details of Guterres’ engagements will depend on official announcements from the UN and participating governments.Disclaimer: This article is provided for knowledge and news-information purposes only. Meeting schedules, participation details and diplomatic engagements may change following official announcements.
