New Delhi to host Brics FMs' meet in May; Russia's Lavrov among key attendees

India is shifting into high gear to host the first major ministerial meeting of its 2026 Brics Chairmanship this May.

The upcoming meeting of Foreign Ministers is shaping up as a key warm-up to the 18th Brics Summit, giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government a crucial chance to guide the expanded 11-nation bloc through a time of global uncertainty.

A new theme for a fragmented world

Under the official theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,"  India is positioning itself as a “bridge-builder” between the West and the Global South. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who unveiled the summit logo earlier this year, said that India’s presidency will focus on “humanity-first” solutions.

“The current global environment presents complex and interlinked challenges. Geopolitical uncertainties, complicated economic landscapes, climate-related risks, technological changes, and persistent development gaps continue to affect countries across regions. In this context, Brics remains an important forum that encourages dialogue and cooperation,” said EAM Jaishankar at the logo launch.  

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What are the key priorities for the May ministerial?

The May ministerial is expected to focus on a set of forward-looking priorities, starting with digital public infrastructure (DPI), where India will push to share scalable models like UPI and Aadhaar with member nations, according to a press release from India’s external affairs ministry.

Climate finance will be another major pillar, with efforts to create a framework that supports green energy transitions without burdening developing economies. At the same time, discussions on multilateral reform will gather pace, with India advocating urgent changes to the United Nations Security Council to better reflect contemporary global realities.

Navigating internal contradictions

The May meeting will be the first significant test of the bloc’s unity following the recent inclusion of nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Indonesia.

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Top of the agenda will be the escalating crisis in West Asia. With recent military strikes involving Iran and the subsequent regional fallout, India faces a herculean task in maintaining consensus.

While security dominates the headlines, the May sessions will also deep-dive into economic sovereignty. Discussions on “de-dollarisation”—the use of local currencies for cross-border trade—are expected to gain traction, alongside a new focus on water security and atmospheric water generation technology.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to attend the meet in person.

According to Russian news agency Tass, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said, “Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to take part in the Brics ministerial meeting on May 14-15 this year, which will determine the… general outlines of the final documents that the Indian presidency will submit to the Brics summit.”