BRICS Summit 2026: Guterres to Push UNSC Reform and Multipolarity in India

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to use his address at the BRICS Summit in India to call for stronger multipolarity and reforms to major global institutions, including the UN Security Council, so that they better reflect today's geopolitical and economic realities.

Guterres will arrive in New Delhi on Thursday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13. He has been invited to speak at the summit's Open Session on September 13, which will focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability for inclusive global growth.

The UN Secretary-General is expected to highlight how the world's economic, demographic and geopolitical landscape has changed significantly since 1945. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres would emphasise that the countries represented at the BRICS gathering reflect this evolving global reality.

Guterres is also expected to argue that a multipolar world could create greater balance in international systems and institutions. However, he is likely to stress that this would require reforms to multilateral institutions, including the Bretton Woods system and the UN Security Council.

Security Council reform has long been a priority for India and several other countries. They have argued that the 15-member Council does not adequately represent the political, economic and demographic realities of the 21st century. India has consistently pushed for a permanent seat as part of efforts to comprehensively reform the UN's principal decision-making body.

During his visit, Guterres is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold bilateral discussions with other leaders and officials participating in the summit.

India is serving as BRICS Chair in 2026. The country, which is among the founding members of the grouping, has previously held the chair in 2012, 2016 and 2021. It began its fourth chairship on January 1, the same year that BRICS marks two decades since its establishment.

The 18th BRICS Summit will bring together leaders from member and partner nations as well as countries invited for outreach. Discussions are expected to cover major international issues, including the economic impact of the ongoing West Asia crisis.

India's BRICS chairship is centred on the theme of "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", with the summit expected to focus on cooperation and responses to emerging global challenges.

Guterres' visit comes toward the end of his second five-year term as UN Secretary-General, which concludes in December 2026. He last travelled to India in February for the India-AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South.

His BRICS visit will place greater emphasis on reforming international institutions, strengthening multilateral cooperation and addressing global challenges through a more representative international system.