NEW DELHI: India is preparing to witness one of its busiest diplomatic phases of 2026, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend three big multilateral events in just one month in September.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Australia for three days, during which he will participate in bilateral meetings and community engagements, including the “Melbourne Meets Modi” event.
India is preparing to witness one of its busiest diplomatic phases of 2026, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend three big multilateral events in just one month. The month will begin with PM Modi’s attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan.
This will be followed by India hosting the Brics Summit in New Delhi. After this, PM Modi is also scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The jam-packed schedule reflects that New Delhi is actively focusing on its outreach amid an uncertain world.
This intense diplomatic calendar begins with the SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31 and September 1. It is pertinent to note that the SCO comprises China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus.
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It was originally established for security and counter-terrorism. However, the group slowly expanded its agenda to include connectivity, energy cooperation, trade and regional stability.
Jam-packed schedule
For India, the summit provides an opportunity to engage with major Eurasian powers while discussing issues such as terrorism, extremism, regional security and connectivity. Less than two weeks later, India will be hosting the 18th Brics Summit on September 12 and 13 as part of its 2026 presidency of the group.
This year, India has adopted the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” for its chairship. Over the years, Brics has evolved considerably since its formation by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The recent expansion of the group, which now includes additional members from West Asia and Africa, has made it a larger platform representing a significant share of the world’s population, economic output and energy resources.
