Doval hosts the BRICS security chiefs as India chairs the bloc in 2026
The 16th NSAs' meeting in Delhi exposes the bloc's fault lines — China draws lessons from the Iran war while Tehran demands a stand on 'state terrorism' — ahead of a September Modi summit
Summary
India holds the Brics chairship for 2026 — its fourth — under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." NSA Ajit Doval chaired the 16th BRICS National Security Advisers' Meeting in New Delhi on 22-23 June 2026, the marquee security event of the chairship, themed on "non-traditional security challenges" spanning terrorism, cyber, energy and food security and terrorist use of emerging technologies. Narendra Modi hosted the visiting security chiefs and urged deeper cooperation "in a changing global landscape." Attendees included Russia's Sergey Shoigu and China's Wang Yi; Doval held bilaterals with Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa and Wang Yi, which the MEA called "constructive." Fault lines surfaced: Iran pushed for a stand on "state terrorism" after the US-Iran war while China drew its own lessons. The meeting feeds an 18th BRICS leaders' summit reported for 12-13 September 2026 in New Delhi.
By the numbers
- 22-23 June 2026 — 16th BRICS NSA meeting, New Delhi.
- 4th — India's BRICS chairship (after 2012, 2016, 2021).
- 12-13 September 2026 — reported dates for the 18th BRICS leaders' summit, New Delhi.
- Key delegations — Russia (Shoigu), China (Wang Yi), South Africa, Brazil, Iran, UAE.
- 3 — Doval sideline bilaterals on 22 June (Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa), plus China.
Why it matters
The chairship is Narendra Modi's Global-South platform, run in parallel with a US trade deal and a China thaw — a balancing act on display as Doval meets Wang Yi while courting Washington. The visible Iran-China split over "state terrorism" exposes how far the bloc is from a common security line.
What to watch
- Whether the September leaders' summit in Delhi firms up on the reported dates and what Modi tables.
- How far the Doval-Wang Yi "normalisation" track translates into concrete border or trade moves.
- Whether BRICS reaches any common language on terrorism after the Iran-China divergence.
- Russia's role via Shoigu as the bloc positions on the Ukraine and Iran wars.