BRICS meets in India: What’s on the agenda, why it matters

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting the annual BRICS Summit beginning today in the Indian capital, New Delhi, which has been decked out in BRICS-themed signs and illuminated buildings and roundabouts.More than a dozen world leaders are attending the 18th annual summit of the bloc, which is increasingly viewed as a counterweight to economic alliances dominated by wealthier Western nations.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3The war in the Gulf will have to end in compromiselist 2 of 3Putin, Pezeshkian in India for BRICS summit clouded by Iran and Ukraine warlist 3 of 3BRICS summit: Is the bloc truly challenging a Western-dominated world?end of listIn preparation, some 30,000 additional security personnel have been deployed while streets around hotels the dignitaries are staying at have been closed off to traffic.Leaders including Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in New Delhi on Friday to hold early bilateral meetings with India’s Modi.China’s President Xi Jinping, who is visiting India after seven years, arrived this morning.This year’s two-day summit, which takes place on Se...