South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Uganda Vice President Jessica Alupo arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, which India will host on September 12–13 under its 2026 chairship.
Both leaders were received by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary as the national capital prepared to welcome leaders and senior representatives from BRICS member and partner countries.
The arrival of the South African and Ugandan leaders adds to the growing participation at the high-level gathering in New Delhi.
South Africa is a full BRICS member, while Uganda is a BRICS partner country. Their participation reflects the broader engagement of member and partner countries with the grouping.
The two-day summit is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation within BRICS and addressing key global and regional issues.
Several other senior officials have also arrived in the national capital ahead of the summit.
Among them are:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin
- Uruguay Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin
- Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
- Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Zou Jiayi
Putin was received at the airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov also arrived in New Delhi earlier on Friday.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13 as part of its 2026 BRICS chairship.
India’s chairship is guided by the theme:
“Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The priorities include development, sustainability and innovation, reflecting India’s focus on strengthening practical cooperation among BRICS members and partners.
The summit will bring together leaders and senior representatives from BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees.
The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation within the grouping while exchanging views on important global and regional developments.
The participation of countries such as South Africa and Uganda also highlights the broader outreach and expanding engagement associated with the BRICS platform.
South Africa’s participation comes as a full member of BRICS, while Uganda’s presence represents the grouping’s partner-country framework.
The participation of both countries provides an opportunity for greater engagement on shared priorities, particularly around development, sustainability, innovation and cooperation among emerging and developing economies.
