Overview

• President Xi Jinping will miss a BRICS summit for the first time in 12 years, with Premier Li Qiang attending on China’s behalf.
• President Vladimir Putin will join virtually while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov represents Russia on site.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in person, underscoring India’s elevated influence ahead of its 2026 summit presidency.
• The Rio meetings mark the debut of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, expanding BRICS to ten members.
• Participants seek to deepen multipolar cooperation and expand local-currency trade agreements, but past foreign minister splits and current leadership gaps raise concerns about the bloc’s cohesion and effectiveness.