New delhi: Today, New Delhi hosts BRICS leaders amid the Hormuz crisis and global trade disruptions. The 18th BRICS Summit kicks off today in New Delhi and will continue for two days under the theme “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the summit comes after a significant transformation of the group, which now comprises 10 countries with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Leaders participating in the summit include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping on his first visit to India since 2019, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. The summit is being held amidst the repercussions of the six-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz and US tariff policies.

Discussions at the summit will center around trade, digital technology, finance, and energy security. Key topics include supply chains, cross-border payments, national currencies, and the expansion of the New Development Bank. The summit aims to address various pressing issues and will conclude with a joint declaration on political, security, and economic matters.