As Brazil’s year-long tenure at the helm of the BRICS grouping draws to a close on December 31, attention turns to India, which will assume the rotating presidency starting January 1, 2026.
Brazil officially took over the pro tempore presidency on January 1, 2025, following Russia’s chairmanship in 2024. The highlight of Brazil’s leadership was the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7, 2025, under the motto “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
Leaders pose for a group photo at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 2025.
Narendra Modi attends the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, July 2025.
During the summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined India’s vision for the bloc’s future, stating that New Delhi would give BRICS a “new form” with a people-centric approach focused on four key pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.
The Rio Declaration reaffirmed commitments to multilateralism, global governance reform, and enhanced cooperation in areas such as peace and security, economic development, and climate action. It also formally noted India’s upcoming chairmanship and its plans to host the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026.
The expanded BRICS now includes 10 full members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia—with several partner countries. Brazil’s presidency emphasized integrating new members and advancing issues like de-dollarization in trade and sustainable development.
