TEHRAN / NEW DELHI, August 14, 2026
Masoud Pezeshkian’s India visit is set to take place in September, when the Iranian president travels to New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit under India’s chairship, according to Iranian officials and diplomatic sources.
Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, has said preparations are underway for Pezeshkian’s participation in the leaders’ meeting. The summit is scheduled in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
A detailed presidential itinerary—including any bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi—has not yet been publicly announced. However, Pezeshkian’s presence will create an opportunity for high-level discussions as India and Iran navigate regional instability, maritime security concerns and economic cooperation.
India to host 18th BRICS Summit
India assumed the rotating BRICS chairship from Brazil at the beginning of 2026.
The year’s meetings are being conducted under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
According to the official BRICS India 2026 platform, the theme reflects India’s stated goal of advancing people-centered cooperation and strengthening the voice of emerging markets and developing countries.
The four principal areas of India’s chairship are:
- Resilience
- Innovation
- Cooperation
- Sustainability
The New Delhi summit is expected to focus on economic coordination, multilateral reform, sustainable development, trade, technology and major international security developments.
Pezeshkian’s attendance confirmed by Iranian representative
Iran’s ambassador in New Delhi previously said that Pezeshkian would participate in the summit and that arrangements for the visit were being prepared.
The announcement signals Tehran’s intention to remain actively engaged with BRICS despite continuing instability in West Asia.
Pezeshkian’s visit will be closely watched for possible discussions with Modi on bilateral trade, connectivity projects, energy security and the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
India has consistently emphasized the importance of diplomacy, de-escalation and uninterrupted commercial navigation through international waterways.
When did Modi and Pezeshkian last meet?
Prime Minister Modi and President Pezeshkian last met in October 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
It was their first meeting after Pezeshkian assumed Iran’s presidency.
The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and international developments. India’s official bilateral brief on India-Iran relations records the Kazan meeting as a significant recent high-level engagement.
The September summit could provide another opportunity to review the relationship at the leaders’ level.
Why Pezeshkian’s India visit matters
The Iranian president’s participation comes at a sensitive moment for West Asia.
Hostilities involving Iran, the United States and Israel have continued since the conflict escalated on February 28. The crisis has affected commercial shipping, energy markets and maritime security across the region.
India has major economic interests connected to stable shipping routes and secure energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy passages, making any disruption a concern for Indian trade and fuel security.
The summit may allow India and Iran to discuss:
- Maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz
- Protection of commercial shipping
- Regional de-escalation
- Energy and trade cooperation
- Connectivity through Chabahar Port
- Reform of global institutions
- Cooperation through BRICS mechanisms
Any formal bilateral meeting or agreement will depend on the final summit schedule.
Iran joined BRICS in 2024
Iran became a full BRICS member in January 2024 as part of the grouping’s major expansion.
Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also became members during that expansion, while Indonesia joined in January 2025.
BRICS now brings together 11 full members:
- Brazil
- Russia
- India
- China
- South Africa
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Indonesia
The official BRICS India website identifies all 11 countries as full members.
The enlarged grouping represents a substantial share of the global population and economy, increasing its importance as a platform for the Global South.
Iranian foreign minister visited India in May
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi traveled to New Delhi for the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting held on May 14 and 15.
This corrects the supplied timeline describing the visit as taking place in June.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Araghchi attended discussions focused on regional stability, multilateral cooperation and economic resilience. He also held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The two ministers discussed West Asian developments and bilateral matters of mutual interest. Their talks took place as the regional conflict placed additional pressure on maritime trade and energy security.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s official announcement described the ministerial gathering as preparation for the September leaders’ summit.
Iran welcomes a constructive Indian role
During his New Delhi engagements, Araghchi highlighted India’s growing diplomatic influence and indicated that Tehran would welcome a constructive Indian role in supporting regional stability.
He argued that the crisis in West Asia could not be resolved through continued military confrontation and emphasized dialogue as the practical path forward.
Araghchi also presented Iran as a reliable partner for friendly countries concerned about commercial security. He maintained that Tehran recognizes a historic responsibility to protect security in the Strait of Hormuz.
India, meanwhile, has repeatedly stressed that international waterways must remain safe and accessible for commercial traffic.
BRICS faces a test of internal consensus
The expanded BRICS includes countries with different political alignments, economic priorities and approaches to international conflicts.
West Asian tensions have exposed some of those differences, especially on how member countries describe the conflict and assign responsibility.
India’s task as chair will be to identify areas of agreement without allowing geopolitical divisions to paralyze economic and development cooperation.
The September summit will therefore be important not only for India-Iran relations but also for the credibility of the expanded grouping.
What to expect from the September summit
Pezeshkian’s participation is expected to bring the West Asian crisis, maritime security and energy stability into sharper focus.
Economic cooperation, trade in national currencies, development financing and reform of global institutions may also feature prominently.
For India, hosting the summit offers an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to maintain dialogue with countries holding sharply different positions.
For Iran, Pezeshkian’s visit provides a platform to present Tehran’s position directly to leaders of some of the world’s largest emerging economies.
The final agenda, bilateral meetings and official outcomes will become clear closer to the summit.
