Embassy of India
Cairo

Draft Press Release

India to host 18th BRICS Summit: Strong Participation from Egypt under India’s Chairship

India is scheduled to host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September 2026, under the Chairship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The Summit will culminate the India’s BRICS 2026 Chairship under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

High level participation from Egypt is expected in the Summit providing another important opportunity for India and Egypt to advance shared priorities of the Global South.

During India’s Chairship, more than 350 meetings and high-level engagements have been held across over 25 cities in India, covering political and security cooperation, trade and finance, industry, technology and innovation, agriculture, energy, environment, health, education, culture, youth, sports and people-to-people exchanges. Around 25 ministerial-level meetings and engagements have taken place in the run-up to the Summit.

Interesting and unique initiatives under India’s Chairship

India has sought to make BRICS cooperation increasingly practical, inclusive and development-oriented. 

• BRICS Incubator Network and BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to connect innovation and start-up ecosystems
• BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network, aimed at sustained exchange of practical solutions and experiences among BRICS cities
• BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage
• BRICS CONNECT, a platform for technical cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity-building in labour and employment
• greater cooperation on MSME financing, including the Jaipur Consensus and Guiding Principles for MSME Credit
• initiatives on digital public infrastructure, emerging technologies, traditional and indigenous knowledge systems, women-led development and resilient supply chains

Several Ministerial Meetings adopted declarations and action-oriented outcomes covering trade, industry, agriculture, energy, urbanisation, labour, education, culture, women, communications, science and technology and other sectors. India’s Chairship has also contributed towards finalisation of the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2030. 

BRICS was deliberately beyond national capitals. The BRICS Friendship Cities Conclave in Mumbai on 11–12 August brought together city leaders, policymakers, experts and industry to discuss climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure, mobility, housing, digital governance and greater city-to-city cooperation. The BRICS Urbanisation Forum also welcomed India’s proposal to establish a permanent Urban Research and Knowledge Network. 

People-to-people activities have ranged from the BRICS Friendship Cycling Event in Visakhapatnam to youth entrepreneurship programmes and “Serve BRICS”, under which India committed to mobilising one million hours of volunteer service. Cultural festivals, exhibitions, academic exchanges, business events and youth and sports activities have further broadened participation in BRICS beyond governments. 

Strong Egyptian participation

Egypt has been an active participant throughout India’s Chairship, with several Egyptian Ministers and senior officials travelling to India for BRICS Ministerial and sectoral meetings. Bilateral meetings were held with Indian counterparts taking forward bilateral cooperation in each of the sectors.

Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty participated in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi in May, where Egypt reiterated its support for the success of India’s BRICS Chairship and for strengthening the voice of the Global South.

In August, Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem participated in the BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting where he highlighted cooperation in joint production, technology transfer, MSMEs, digital industrial transformation and green industries. 

Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Dr Mohamed Farid Saleh led the Egyptian delegation to the BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting, where discussions focused on strengthening trade and investment, supply chains, digital trade and greater integration of businesses into global value chains. 

Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk participated in the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in India, calling for stronger BRICS cooperation on development finance, public-private partnerships, mobilisation of private capital and strengthening the role of the New Development Bank. 

Egypt also participated in other important BRICS tracks during the year, including meetings on energy, culture, justice, environment and climate change. Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi highlighted energy security, natural gas, mining and investment as areas for greater cooperation

H.E. Justice Boulos Fahmy Iskander Boulos, President of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, led Egypt’s judicial delegation to the BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum in New Delhi from 4-6 September 2026, further strengthening institutional and judicial exchanges among BRICS members.

India and Egypt: Strategic Partners in BRICS

India and Egypt enjoy a longstanding friendship that was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2023 following the landmark exchanges of visits by President El-Sisi and Prime Minister Modi.

Active participation of Egyptian Ministers and senior dignitaries during India’s BRICS Chairship has also provided opportunities for bilateral engagements with their Indian counterparts, reinforcing the expanding India-Egypt partnership.

Bilateral cooperation has continued to expand across political, economic, defence, security, technology, cultural and people-to-people fields. More than 15 Ministerial visits have taken place over the past two years, reflecting the intensity of high-level engagement. Bilateral trade grew by around 35% to US$6.8 billion in FY 2025–26, underscoring the considerable potential for further expansion. Indian companies are actively exploring new opportunities in Egypt, with Indian investments exceeding US$5.5 billion and supporting around 50,000 local jobs. Defence cooperation has also gathered significant momentum through regular exercises, high-level exchanges and India’s strong participation in the 2nd El Alamein International Airshow.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges remain at the heart of India-Egypt relations. Egypt was the Partner Country at the world’s largest crafts fair in India in February 2026, while around 30,000 Egyptian schoolchildren participate annually in the Embassy’s painting competition on India. The iconic Pyramids of Giza provided the backdrop for celebrations of the International Day of Yoga in June 2026. Egyptian musicians performing on the oud and flute, along with artists showcasing traditional pottery, tapestry and mural art, are participating in BRICS cultural events being held in India around the Summit. Several leading Egyptian journalists are likewise in India to cover the BRICS Summit.

Both countries share a commitment to strengthening the voice and representation of developing countries in global governance and have significant scope to work together within BRICS on multilateral reform, development finance, trade and investment, industrial cooperation, technology, food and energy security, climate action and South-South cooperation.

This partnership was also highlighted at the India-Egypt Partnership in BRICS Conference held in Cairo in August 2026, which brought together senior officials, diplomats and experts from both countries to discuss development finance, trade and investment, technology and innovation, and cultural and people-to-people ties.

The New Delhi Summit will provide an opportunity for BRICS leaders to review progress achieved during India’s Chairship and chart the future direction of cooperation among members at a time of significant global change.