New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): Le Minh Hung, Vietnamese Prime Minister, arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Summit 2026 as India hosts the grouping's annual summit under its 2026 Chairship.

Vietnam is among the BRICS 10 partner countries. The Prime Minister's visit comes as India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 Chairmanship 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.

BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping currently comprises 11 countries -- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Along with 10 partner countries--Nigeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. 

According to background information on India's 2026 Chairship, BRICS members collectively account for around 49.5 per cent of the global population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade.

India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. For India, the 2026 Chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms. 

Earlier in September, on the defence front, Lieutenant General Le Van Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, attended the Pipping Ceremony at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya, following the Passing Out Parade during which 253 Officer Cadets, including 35 women, were commissioned into the Indian Army.

Lt Gen Le Van Huong congratulated the newly commissioned officers and their parents on the occasion.

While interacting with the newly commissioned officers, Lt Gen Le Van Huong exhorted them to 'uphold the highest traditions and ethos of the Armed Forces and strive to be exemplary leaders in service of the Nation.'

In a post on X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI), Indian Army, said, 'Officer Cadets donned the much-awaited stars on their shoulders, marking their transition to commissioned Officers. The solemn oath to serve the Nation marked the beginning of their journey as future leaders of the #IndianArmy.' (ANI)