BRICS Summit 2026: Trade, UPI Payments and Local Currency

BRICS leaders meet in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026 under India’s presidency. Theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.

This episode breaks down what member and partner countries are expected to discuss:

• Linking national payment systems
• Expanding trade in local currencies — not a common BRICS currency
• India’s UPI as a model for cross-border digital payments
• Open markets, two-way supply chains and critical minerals
• Food, energy and health security
• AI, startups, MSMEs and digital trade
• Reform of global institutions
• The New Delhi Declaration

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal urged BRICS nations to connect payment rails, settle more trade in each other’s currencies, and make digital trade global.

A short briefing on the summit agenda, India’s pitch, and why payments and trade sit at the centre of BRICS 2026.

Keywords: BRICS Summit 2026, New Delhi, Piyush Goyal, UPI, local currency trade, payment systems, Global South, geopolitics podcast