InternationalTuesday, 4 August 2026·The Hindu - National
India invites Bangladesh PM Rahman to BRICS outreach session as BIMSTEC chair
India invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the BRICS 2026 outreach session in New Delhi as the current BIMSTEC chair.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On August 4, 2026, India said it had invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026, in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC.
Key specifics
- India is hosting the annual BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026.
- Tarique Rahman was invited as the current chair of BIMSTEC, not as a BRICS member leader.
- BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
- Indonesia joined BRICS in 2025, taking the grouping to 11 major emerging economies.
- BRICS represents around 49.5% of the global population, around 40% of global GDP and around 26% of global trade.
Exam lens
Question type: International grouping match-the-following, BRICS expansion and BIMSTEC membership. Key facts: 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi, September 12-13, 2026, BIMSTEC has 7 members, BRICS has 11 members. TNPSC may ask which country chairs BIMSTEC or which states are in the Bay of Bengal grouping.