India has officially taken over the BRICS chairmanship from Brazil as of January 1, 2026, marking its first time leading the expanded 10-nation bloc. The country has outlined its priorities for the year, emphasizing technology and sustainable development as central themes.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the focus during the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, stating the goal is to “strengthen resilience and foster innovation for cooperation and development.” The initiative aims to reshape the group’s approach under India’s leadership.

Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko congratulated Modi, expressing confidence in India’s presidency and thanking the nation for supporting Belarus’s partner status within BRICS. He affirmed Belarus’s commitment to collaborative efforts aimed at building a “just and multipolar world order.”

Experts highlight that India inherits a strong foundation from Brazil. Daniel Barreiros, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, noted India’s “technological vision” as a distinctive feature, which will focus on less contentious but strategic areas like AI governance and digital trade to strengthen the group’s influence.

India’s agenda is structured around four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and environmental stability. A key initiative will be promoting digital public infrastructure as a scalable model for the Global South, based on India’s own successes, aiming to position the country as a technological leader without imposing a one-size-fits-all system.

Reforming global governance remains a core priority, with BRICS foreign ministers advocating for greater representation of developing countries in institutions like the UN and WTO. The transition of leadership was symbolized by Brazil handing over a gavel made from recycled Amazonian wood, reflecting the group’s environmental focus and continuity.