Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is going to visit New Delhi to attend the upcoming BRICS Leaders’ Summit, Iranian sources said. The visit comes as India is set to host the 18th summit of the grouping and will further strengthen India’s engagement with Iran in BRICS.
The BRICS summit will take place in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, under the chairmanship of India in BRICS. Iran is among the expanded BRICS members, together with Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Pezeshkian’s participation would give India and Iran another opportunity to discuss bilateral relations as well as wider regional and international issues. Iranian sources have confirmed that the Iranian President will participate in the summit, while India is preparing for the gathering of leaders from the expanded BRICS grouping.
The visit is also following an invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pezeshkian to meet during the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit held in India. In a telephone conversation in July, Modi formally invited the Iranian President to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit. Pezeshkian accepted the invitation and emphasized the importance of working together with India.
India and Iran have longstanding diplomatic and economic ties with trade, connectivity, energy, and regional issues. Chabahar Port is particularly important and provides India a route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The BRICS platform has added another dimension to the bilateral relationship. Iran joined the expanded BRICS grouping as part of the organisation’s enlargement, giving Tehran a larger multilateral forum through which to engage with major emerging economies.
Pezeshkian’s visit would thus allow for discussion in the field of economic and trade cooperation. The two sides might also share views on regional events and global issues at the summit.
India is involved with the 2026 BRICS chairmanship under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The country has already hosted several BRICS ministerial and senior-level meetings under the chairmanship, including on energy, security and other areas of cooperation.
The summit is expected to bring together leaders from all the BRICS membership. Senior leaders from most major economies may make New Delhi an important stage for discussions on global economic cooperation, development, trade, energy and geopolitical issues.
For Iran, Pezeshkian’s presence in Delhi would also underscore Tehran’s engagement with the BRICS grouping. Iran has already been involved in BRICS-related meetings hosted by India, including ministerial talks.
The visit could also build on recent diplomatic contacts between New Delhi and Tehran. India has maintained communications with Iran through the West Asia crises and has repeatedly emphasized the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, regional stability and freedom of navigation.
Pezeshkian’s visit would be a meaningful interaction between the Iranian leadership and the Indian government at a time when regional developments remain a major concern for the international community.
The upcoming BRICS summit could therefore provide both countries with a chance to cement their partnership and work with other members of the expanded group on issues of global economy and international order.
With the summit scheduled for September 12-13, preparations in New Delhi will be intensified in the coming weeks. The Iranian president's participation in the expected gathering adds another important leader and underlines the importance of India’s BRICS chairmanship in 2026.
