New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): Maxim Ryzhenkov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Summit 2026 as India hosts the grouping's annual summit under its 2026 chairship.

Welcoming Ryzhenkov, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, "Warmly welcome Mr Maxim Ryzhenkov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. India and Belarus share warm and friendly relations, marked by growing cooperation across a broad range of areas, in bilateral and multilateral spheres."

Belarus is among the BRICS partner nations, and on the economic front, the nation is one of the leading food exporters and supplies 64 per cent of its output to foreign markets.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. India's Chairship is guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.

The grouping currently comprises 11 countries -- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.

Meanwhile, on Friday, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, met United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and addressed the BRICS Business Forum, making for a day of intensive diplomacy as India hosts the grouping's summit under its 2026 chairship.

The meeting with Putin was the second between the two leaders this year. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders had earlier met on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek in August.

The leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people domains, the MEA said.

PM Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia. PM Modi reiterated India's consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. (ANI)