Hyderabad: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the BRICS summit scheduled for September 8, hosted virtually by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the meeting.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Jaishankar would lead India’s participation. The summit is expected to focus on ways to deal with US tariffs and strengthening multilateral cooperation. Brazil, however, has clarified that it is not presenting the meeting as an anti-US platform.
PM Modi’s absence at BRICS summit seen as cautious positioning
Experts suggested Modi’s decision to skip the summit indicates caution ahead of India’s chairmanship of BRICS in 2026. Reports noted that the US had earlier urged India to quit BRICS in exchange for withdrawing tariffs.
Adding to this backdrop, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently outlined three conditions for lifting additional 25% tariffs on India: halting Russian oil imports, leaving BRICS, and aligning with US policies. He remarked that India must choose between backing its largest customer or facing tariffs. Lutnick, however, expressed hope that India would soon engage in bilateral trade talks with Washington, reiterating America’s willingness for dialogue.
