India Invites PM Tarique to BRICS Summit as BIMSTEC Chair

Online Desk : India on Tuesday confirmed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been invited to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC, while a separate bilateral invitation has also remained in place since February this year.

The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September.

Speaking at a media briefing, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a formal invitation for a bilateral visit to India was extended to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after he assumed office in February 2026.

Regarding the BRICS Summit, Jaiswal said Bangladesh’s prime minister had been invited to participate in the outreach session as the Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

He said the invitation was extended in line with BRICS’ standard practice of inviting heads of regional organisations to attend outreach sessions.

“Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner,” he said.

Responding to a question about former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s planned media engagement in New Delhi on August 5, Jaiswal said the Government of India had no role in organising the event.

“The interaction you refer to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum,” he said.