External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 10, 2026) met visiting BRICS 2026 Sherpas and country representatives in New Delhi, formally advancing India’s chairship of the grouping.
Meanwhile, senior Indian and Chinese officials held talks in the Indian capital focused on trade ties and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Leading the diplomatic engagements, Jaishankar described BRICS as a “valuable forum for international cooperation, consultation and coordination” as the bloc completes 20 years.
He welcomed suggestions from member delegations to advance India’s stated priorities for BRICS 2026: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
The meeting marked the first Sherpa/Sous-Sherpa gathering under India’s chairship. India last month unveiled the official BRICS 2026 theme, logo and website.
The theme, ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, reflects what the government called a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2025 Rio Summit.
The logo blends the colours of all BRICS members with a central “Namaste” motif symbolising dialogue and inclusivity.
On the sidelines of the Sherpa meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu under the India-China Strategic Dialogue framework.
The discussions reviewed progress in bilateral ties following the October 2024 border agreement aimed at easing tensions after the prolonged eastern Ladakh military standoff.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides underscored that peace and tranquility in border areas remain essential for overall bilateral progress.
They discussed steps to stabilise and rebuild ties, including advancing political guidance from their leaders to address trade-related concerns and sensitive issues.
The two countries agreed on the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement and to continue practical measures for visa facilitation and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Misri noted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and expressed hope for its further expansion.
In a significant diplomatic signal, the MEA stated that the Chinese side conveyed its understanding and respect for India’s aspirations for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
The Chinese readout described the talks as “friendly, candid and in-depth,” stressing that China and India should view relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and regard each other as cooperative partners rather than rivals.
It called for deepening mutual trust, expanding cooperation, and properly managing differences amid complex global changes.
China’s participation in the BRICS Sherpa meeting was also highlighted by Ambassador Xu Feihong, who said Beijing is ready to work with India as BRICS Chair and other members to strengthen multilateral coordination, improve working mechanisms, and uphold international fairness and justice.