Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has questioned whether India has gained tangible benefits from recent BRICS summits, as the country prepares to host the 2026 event in Delhi. Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, told news agency ANI that he has not seen any concrete results from the last two or three BRICS meetings, despite India's participation in multiple international groupings including BRICS, SCO, G20, and QUAD.

Delhi authorities have intensified preparations for the summit, with the Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar and PWD Principal Secretary Sandeep Kumar inspecting key areas, including the summit venue and surrounding locations. Officials were directed to carry out intensive cleaning and maintenance along summit routes, venues, and other sensitive locations. The inspection also covered movement corridors in southeast and south Delhi, with directives to deploy sanitation workers, machinery, and supervisory staff during the final stage of preparations.

Chidambaram's remarks have drawn criticism from the BJP, with senior party leader Nalin Kohli accusing the Congress of adopting a transactional approach to diplomacy. Kohli questioned the party's intent, suggesting that Chidambaram's comments were politically motivated rather than based on genuine concerns. BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the Congress was driven by a 'Fear Of Missing Out' (FOMO), claiming that the party opposes the summit simply because it is held in India.

India is set to host the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam from Friday evening, with the theme 'Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. The summit is expected to address global challenges, including the economic consequences of the West Asia crisis. However, no response from Chidambaram or BRICS officials has been provided to address the criticism.

The BRICS summit marks India's fourth chairship since the grouping's establishment in 2006. The country previously held the chair in 2012, 2016, and 2021. While the summit is expected to focus on global issues, the debate over its tangible outcomes continues. The lack of a clear response from BRICS officials leaves the effectiveness of the summit in question, with Chidambaram's comments highlighting a broader skepticism about the group's impact on India's interests.

The situation remains unclear on whether the BRICS summit will deliver the expected benefits. While preparations are underway, the political debate over the summit's value persists. Without further clarification from BRICS officials or additional evidence of tangible outcomes, the summit's success will depend on its ability to address pressing global challenges and deliver measurable results for India.