Who are the key leaders at the BRICS Summit in India, and why do they matter?

Leaders and senior representatives from across the BRICS grouping are gathering in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, which begins Saturday (September 12). Among the most closely watched are Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The summit also brings together leaders and representatives from the grouping’s newer members, partner countries and international organisations, underlining how far BRICS has expanded beyond its original five-member format. Their presence comes at a time of wars in West Asia and Ukraine, sharpening great-power competition, and renewed debate over the balance of influence in global institutions.

Here is a look at some of the key figures attending the summit, who they are, and why they matter in the world right now.

China –  President Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping has been China’s president since 2013 and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party since 2012. Under Xi, China has expanded its diplomatic and economic engagement across the Global South through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, while taking a more assertive position on issues ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea.

China is the largest economy in BRICS and one of the world’s most important manufacturing, trading and investment powers. Beijing has consistently supported BRICS as a platform for a more multipolar international system and has advocated greater representation for developing countries in institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.

Xi’s visit to New Delhi is also important because it is his first trip to India since the deadly 2020 border clashes. Substantial differences remain, including the unresolved boundary question, India’s concerns over China’s relationship with Pakistan and a large Indian trade deficit with China.

Russia – President Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin has dominated Russian politics for more than two decades, serving as either president or prime minister since 1999. A former KGB intelligence officer who entered politics during the turbulent years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin has progressively centralised political power around the presidency and the Russian state. The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 resulted in extensive Western sanctions and Moscow was pushed towards deeper relationships with countries outside the Western system.

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BRICS provides Russia with a major diplomatic platform where it can maintain relationships with countries that have refused to join Western sanctions and demonstrate that it retains significant international partnerships.

India remains one of Russia’s most important strategic partners. Defence cooperation has historically formed the backbone of the relationship, while energy ties have become even more significant since the Ukraine war, with India emerging as one of Russia’s largest buyers of crude oil. Bilateral trade reached nearly $70 billion in 2024–25, and the two countries have set a target of $100 billion by 2030.

Putin’s attendance is particularly important for India because Russia remains a crucial part of New Delhi’s strategic calculus even as India deepens its relationships with the US, Europe, Japan, and the Gulf.

Brazil – Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira

Mauro Luiz Lecker Vieira has been serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs since January 1, 2023. He also occupied the same office between 2015 and 2016. Vieira was nominated as Brazil’s Ambassador to Argentina from 2004 to 2010 and subsequently served as the Brazilian Ambassador to the USA till his elevation to the post of Foreign Minister on December 31, 2014.

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Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and a major exporter of agricultural commodities, energy and minerals. It has also been an important voice within BRICS on reducing dependence on the US dollar and strengthening financial and economic cooperation among emerging economies.

Brazil’s BRICS priorities have often centred on reform of global governance, greater use of local currencies in trade and expanding the influence of developing countries in institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.

India and Brazil have developed a broad strategic partnership spanning trade, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals and defence. Brazil is one of India’s largest trading partners in Latin America, while India is an important market for Brazilian commodities and a growing source of pharmaceuticals and manufactured goods.

South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa has been president of South Africa since 2018 and has a political career rooted in the anti-apartheid struggle. He became the first general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers and later served as the African National Congress’s chief negotiator during the transition from apartheid, working alongside Nelson Mandela.

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After the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in the 2024 election, Ramaphosa secured a second term through a Government of National Unity involving several political parties.

South Africa is the most industrialised economy in much of Africa and is an important producer of minerals including platinum, gold, manganese and chromium. Its position gives it significance for global commodity supply chains. South Africa has consistently used BRICS to advocate greater representation for developing countries in global institutions and to strengthen cooperation among countries of the Global South.

India and South Africa have particularly deep political ties, shaped by their shared histories of colonialism, anti-apartheid solidarity and cooperation in the Non-Aligned Movement. Their relationship today covers trade, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, mining, energy and defence, while both countries work together through BRICS and the India-Brazil-South Africa grouping.

Iran – President Masoud Pezeshkian

Masoud Pezeshkian became Iran’s president in July 2024, winning an election held after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi. A reformist politician and former health minister, Pezeshkian campaigned on improving relations with the outside world, easing some domestic restrictions and addressing Iran’s economic difficulties.

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Iran joined BRICS in 2024. Its geographic position also gives it significance for transport and energy connectivity between South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran has made its participation at India’s summit particularly consequential, while the conflict has simultaneously exposed tensions between Iran and fellow BRICS member the UAE.

India’s relationship with Iran has a strong strategic foundation around connectivity. The two countries have cooperated on the development of the Chabahar Port, which gives India an important route into Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan.

Iran’s presence at the summit is especially important for India because New Delhi has to balance several relationships simultaneously: its strategic partnership with the UAE and Gulf states, its ties with Israel and the US, and its longstanding relationship with Tehran. BRICS gives India a forum in which it can maintain dialogue with Iran while advocating de-escalation and protecting its own interests in energy, connectivity and regional stability.

Egypt – President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been Egypt’s president since 2014. Egypt joined BRICS in 2024. The country controls the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

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Egypt’s BRICS role is particularly significant because of its position on trade, energy and Middle Eastern affairs. Its strategic geography gives it importance to global supply chains. The current conflict involving Iran and the disruption of regional trade routes have further increased the strategic importance of Egypt and the Suez Canal.

India and Egypt have traditionally maintained close political ties, with both countries sharing a history of cooperation in the Non-Aligned Movement. The relationship has expanded into trade, investment, defence, pharmaceuticals and energy, with Sisi having been the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2023. Egypt’s location makes it an important partner for India in connecting its BRICS engagement with the African and the Arab world.

Indonesia – President Prabowo Subianto

Prabowo Subianto became Indonesia’s president in October 2024 and leads Southeast Asia’s most populous country. Indonesia is rich in commodities like nickel, palm oil, coal and natural gas. Its position astride major maritime routes also gives it considerable strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific.

The nation became a full BRICS member in 2025 and was the first Southeast Asian country to join the grouping. Its entry significantly strengthens BRICS’ representation in the region and gives the bloc another major emerging economy with substantial natural resources and a large domestic market.

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India and Indonesia have longstanding maritime links and have increasingly deepened cooperation in trade, defence and the Indo-Pacific. The two countries are also important partners in securing sea lanes and maintaining stability across the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Ethiopia – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Abiy Ahmed has been Ethiopia’s prime minister since 2018 and leads the ruling Prosperity Party, which he established after dissolving the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

A former intelligence and military officer, Abiy initially came to power promising political liberalisation and reconciliation, releasing political prisoners and opening up previously restricted political space. He was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in making peace with neighbouring Eritrea.

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most populous countries and Addis Ababa hosts the African Union. Ethiopia has traditionally pursued an independent foreign policy that gives it relationships with a wide range of major powers. Its entry into BRICS in 2024 gave the grouping an additional African voice and strengthened its links with the wider Global South.

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India and Ethiopia have longstanding political and commercial ties, with diplomatic relations dating back to 1948. India has supported Ethiopia’s development through lines of credit, capacity-building and education, while Indian companies have invested in areas including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and agriculture. The two countries also share positions on reform of the United Nations and greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.

United Arab Emirates – Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council. He is the eldest son of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is leading the UAE delegation to the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on his behalf.

The UAE joined BRICS in 2024 as part of the grouping’s first major expansion beyond its original members. Its importance to the grouping rests on its position as a major energy producer, financial centre, investor and logistics hub connecting Asia, Europe and Africa.

India and the UAE have developed one of India’s most important partnerships in the Gulf, spanning trade, investment, energy, infrastructure and defence. The UAE’s participation in BRICS also connects India’s engagement with the grouping to the Gulf’s capital, energy and logistics networks.

Saudi Arabia – Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has served as Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister since 2019. Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has sought to maintain its longstanding security relationship with the US while simultaneously strengthening ties with China, Russia and other emerging powers. Faisal has played a particularly visible role in Saudi diplomacy on the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and the wider Middle East.

Saudi Arabia’s inclusion to BRICS gives the grouping substantially greater weight in global energy markets and strengthens its presence in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia’s relationships with both Western and non-Western powers also fit into the broader BRICS emphasis on a more multipolar international system.

Saudi Arabia was invited to join BRICS in 2023 and is listed by the grouping among its members, but has maintained a degree of ambiguity over the formal status of its BRICS membership. Faisal’s attendance at India’s summit is therefore significant even in the absence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia remains an important source of crude oil for India, while Indian businesses have a significant presence in areas ranging from construction and infrastructure to technology, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. The two countries are also important partners in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Saudi Arabia’s participation also gives India a way to bring the Gulf’s economic and strategic weight into its BRICS agenda while maintaining its close bilateral relationship with Riyadh.