New Delhi [India], September 11 (ANI): Ahead of the BRICS Summit, former Union Minister Salman Khurshid described the gathering as a "significant event" that allows India to demonstrate leadership on the global stage.

Speaking to ANI, Khurshid stressed that the presence of leaders from all 11 member countries, including China, Iran, Russia, South Africa and India, could help New Delhi bring countries together, reduce contradictions and conflicts, and work towards creating better conditions in the world.

'This is a significant event. We hosted the G20 summit a few years ago, and the important thing is that the top leadership of China, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and India will all be present. All 11 countries will be present. It allows India to demonstrate leadership and ensure that contradictions and conflicts are reduced to a minimum. It can't be done overnight, but at least some attempt should be made. For India to have a locus as the leader and chairperson of the BRICS summit, to be able to bring people together, converge, and accept positions that will create better conditions in the world,' he said.

His remarks come as Delhi gears up to host the BRICS Summit on September 12 and September 13, with several world leaders and senior delegations set to arrive in the national capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and UAE Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan are among the prominent leaders scheduled to participate in the summit.

The two-day summit will bring together leaders and senior representatives from BRICS member and partner countries, besides heads of regional and international organisations.

Among the BRICS member countries, Brazil will be represented by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, while China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia and South Africa will be represented by their respective heads of state or government.

Saudi Arabia will be represented by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, while the UAE delegation will be led by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The BRICS partner countries will include Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, with their delegations headed by senior leaders, including Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

President of the Philippines Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr will also participate in the summit.

The summit will also see participation from the current chairs of key regional organisations, including ASEAN, the African Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council, CELAC and the Eurasian Economic Union.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff and heads of other international institutions are also scheduled to attend.

The summit comes as India hosts the expanded BRICS grouping, bringing together major emerging economies and countries from different regions of the Global South.

India is expected to use its BRICS presidency to focus on strengthening cooperation among member countries and advancing the grouping's agenda on issues of global importance. (ANI)