Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in New Delhi on Friday evening to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, being hosted by India on September 12–13, 2026. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Prabowo was scheduled to arrive at Air Force Station Palam at around 9 p.m. on September 11.
Prabowo’s visit comes as BRICS leaders gather in the Indian capital for discussions on global economic cooperation, trade, investment, sustainable development and major geopolitical challenges. Indonesia is among the expanded BRICS members, making Prabowo’s participation particularly significant as Jakarta takes part in the grouping’s discussions as a full member.
The 2026 summit is taking place against a complicated international backdrop, with conflicts in the Middle East and the continuing Russia-Ukraine war creating uncertainty for global energy supplies, trade and transportation. These issues are expected to feature prominently in discussions among BRICS leaders as the group seeks to strengthen its role in global affairs.
For Indonesia, participation in the New Delhi summit provides an opportunity to strengthen its engagement with other major emerging economies. The country’s presence also adds greater weight to Southeast Asia’s role within BRICS, as Indonesia became the first Southeast Asian country to join the grouping as a full member in 2025.
India and Indonesia also share longstanding diplomatic and economic ties. Prabowo’s presence in New Delhi is expected to provide an opportunity for further discussions on bilateral cooperation alongside the wider BRICS agenda. The two countries have been seeking to expand cooperation across areas including trade, investment, defence, energy and technology.
The summit is also expected to focus on reducing barriers to trade and strengthening economic resilience among BRICS members. Several initiatives under discussion include greater cooperation on logistics and supply chains, startup innovation and investment, with the expanded grouping representing a substantial share of the global population and economy.
Prabowo joins other major leaders arriving in New Delhi, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Their presence has turned the summit into a major diplomatic gathering at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
The Indonesian president’s arrival therefore adds another important dimension to the BRICS 2026 summit. As India seeks to build consensus among the expanded group, Indonesia’s participation could contribute to discussions on economic cooperation, global governance and the role of emerging economies in shaping the international order.
With the summit underway in New Delhi, attention will now turn to the discussions among BRICS leaders and the outcomes they can achieve on trade, investment, global security and cooperation.