Under the theme ‘Bharat’s Moment in the Global South’, the event will decode BRICS’ next chapter and the evolving global order
As India prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit, CNN-News18, in partnership with Firstpost, will bring together some of India’s most influential policymakers, economists and global thought leaders for ‘BRICS Dialogues’ on September 11, 2026 in New Delhi.
Anchored around the central theme ‘Bharat’s Moment in the Global South’, the marquee on-ground event will examine the evolving role of BRICS and highlight the choices, challenges and opportunities before Bharat, from strengthening international partnerships to driving innovation and economic growth, amid an increasingly volatile global order.
At a time when geopolitical realignments, trade tensions, technological disruption and new strategic partnerships are reshaping international relations, ‘BRICS Dialogues’ will bring the most consequential questions to the table: What does the rise of an expanded BRICS mean for the global balance of power? Can the bloc become a stronger voice for the Global South? And what opportunities does this moment create for India as it seeks a larger role in global affairs?
The conversations will spotlight global governance, trade and strategic partnerships, India’s relationships with key BRICS members, and the emerging opportunities in areas such as technological transformation, including Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, space and other critical technologies.
The event will bring together a high-powered line-up of Union Ministers and leading voices from politics, public policy, diplomacy, economics and global thought leadership, underscoring the scale and significance of the conversations around India’s role in BRICS and the evolving global order. While Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Communications & Development of North Eastern Region, will headline an exclusive conversation on “Bharat: BRICS Engine”, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union MoS (Independent Charge), Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, PP/DoPT, Atomic Energy and Space, will feature in an exclusive session on “BRICS & ‘Critical’ Partnerships”.
The programme will also bring together Javed Ashraf, Chairman, ITPO, and Amitabh Kant, Former G20 Sherpa (India) and Former CEO, NITI Aayog, for “America Cementing BRICS?”; Ram Madhav, National Vice President, BJP, for “Era of Global South: What Will It Take?”; and Dr Saurabh Garg for “BRICS: Numbers Don’t Lie”. Amb Ashok Kantha, Former Ambassador of India to the People’s Republic of China and Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Former BRICS Sherpa and Ex Secretary, MEA will come together for “India in BRICS: Shoulder or Bridge?”. Adding to the prestigious lineup, “Has BRICS Lived Up to the Hype?” will see Manish Tewari, MP (Lok Sabha), INC and Former Union Minister, examine the bloc’s evolution, while Shashi Tharoor, MP (Lok Sabha), INC and Former Union Minister, will offer his perspective on “BRICS & The West: Can India Balance Both?”.
Global thought leaders Jeffrey Sachs, American Economist, and Jim O’Neill, British Economist who coined the term ‘BRIC’, will join a session on “Why BRICS Makes Sense?”, while John Denton, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce and Anindya N. Bakrie, Chairman, BRICS Business Council Indonesia & KADIN Indonesia; CEO, Bakrie & Brothers will participate in “BRICS: The Commerce Collab”.
The event will also witness a Gen Z panel in “BRICS: Tomorrow’s Leaders”, international media voices from Sputnik and CGTN in “R.I.C – The Alternative Is Here”, an industry-focused conversation “Circuiting BRICS” with Vijay P. Karia, Chairman & MD, Ravin Group, and a special session on “How West Views BRICS.”
Talking about the much-anticipated event, Rahul Shivshankar, Editorial Affairs Director, CNN-News18, said, “India’s leadership of BRICS comes at a defining moment for the global order. ‘BRICS Dialogues’ is our effort to bring together the voices that can make sense of the shifts underway and their implications for Bharat, the Global South and the future of global partnerships. Through these conversations, we aim to put the big questions of geopolitics, technology, trade and India’s strategic ambitions at the heart of the national conversation.”
Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, said, “The BRICS conversation today extends far beyond economics, reflecting the larger shifts underway in global power, influence and partnerships. With India at the centre of that conversation this year, there is an opportunity to ask bigger questions about influence, innovation, economic ambition and the kind of global partnerships that will define the decade ahead. ‘BRICS Dialogues’ brings the editorial strengths of CNN-News18 and Firstpost together to do just that: move beyond the summit narrative and examine the ideas, interests and opportunities that will shape Bharat’s place in a changing world.”
Further, Binoy Prabhakar, Chief Content Officer, Firstpost, added, “BRICS now sits at the heart of some of the biggest questions shaping the world, from geopolitics and trade to technology, security and economic power. ‘BRICS Dialogues’ brings this scale and complexity into one platform, with voices and perspectives from across fields. Together with CNN-News18, we will delve deeper than the summit narrative, tracing BRICS’ journey, examining its evolving role and looking ahead to where it is headed in light of this year’s agenda, while keeping Bharat at the centre of the conversation and exploring the role it can play in shaping what comes next.”
Speaking about Ravin Group’s partnership with CNN-News18 for its unparalleled coverage around BRICS Summit and BRICS Dialogues, Mr Vijay P Karia, Chairman & MD, Ravin Group said, “BRICS today represents something much larger than a grouping of nations. It reflects how the centre of economic opportunity is evolving and how BRICS countries especially India and the UAE can play a much greater role in shaping global growth. Our partnership with CNN-News18 for BRICS Dialogues provides an important platform for precisely this kind of engagement. We have always believed that the greatest opportunities are created when we build bridges between countries, between businesses and, most importantly, between people. We see ourselves contributing to electrifying transmission and distribution networks helping to create reliable infrastructure and seeking partnerships in the BRICS countries to create lasting value.”
‘CNN-News18 BRICS Dialogues in partnership with Firstpost’, has Ravin Group as the Presenting Partner, DP World as the Logistics Partner, and LIC, Kotak Neo, and Reliance Industries Ltd. as Associate Partners.
Catch ‘BRICS Dialogues’ live on 11 September, 3.30 PM onwards, on CNN-News18 and Firstpost.