United Nations, Sept 10: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to underline the importance of multipolarity and call for reforms in multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council, when he addresses the BRICS Summit in New Delhi later this week.
Guterres will travel to New Delhi on Thursday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12 and 13. He has been invited to address the Open Session on September 13 on the theme, “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres is expected to point out that the world’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities have changed significantly since 1945, with countries represented at the summit reflecting that evolving global landscape.
The UN chief is also expected to emphasise that multipolarity could help bring greater balance to global systems and institutions. However, he is likely to stress that this would require reforms to multilateral institutions, including the Bretton Woods system and the Security Council, to reflect contemporary realities.
Reform of the 15-member Security Council has long been sought by India and several other countries, which argue that its current composition does not adequately represent the geopolitical and economic realities of the 21st century. India has been seeking permanent membership of the Council as part of its campaign for comprehensive UN reforms.
During his visit, Guterres is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold bilateral meetings with other leaders and officials attending the summit.
India is chairing BRICS in 2026 and assumed the chairship on January 1 for the fourth time. The 18th BRICS Summit will bring together leaders of member and partner countries as well as outreach invitees.
The summit is expected to discuss major global challenges, including the economic consequences of the West Asia crisis.
The theme of India’s BRICS chairship is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
Guterres’ current five-year term as UN Secretary-General ends in December 2026. He last visited India in February to attend the India-AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
