Multi-coloured Lotus with a ‘Namaste’ nested inside: What BRICS India logo means

The BRICS Summit is being held in New Delhi, with the opening ceremony kicking off proceedings on Friday, while the wider leaders conclave will be held on Saturday and Sunday. At the centre of attention is the BRICS India logo, a vibrantly coloured lotus with a ‘namaste’ symbol engraved in the middle.

The logo was chosen through a public design contest and unveiled by the external affairs minister, Dr S Jaishankar, on January 13 this year. It was designed to blend Indian tradition with modernity while representing the collective strength of the BRICS nations. Follow BRICS LIVE updates here.

What the BRICS India logo represents

Here is a breakdown of what the elements in the BRICS India logo represent:

• The "Namaste" gesture: At the centre of the logo is a motif depicting the traditional Indian "Namaste" salutation. This conveys India's timeless spirit of warmth, inclusivity, respect, hospitality, and harmonious collaboration.
• The Lotus form: The logo's central design resembles India's national flower, the lotus, which symbolises resilience and harmony.
• The vibrantly coloured petals: The lotus flower's colourful petals surrounding the centre radiate the colours of all BRICS member countries. They symbolise diversity, equality, and the collective strength and unity of the expanded grouping.

The overall design reflects the broader BRICS vision of cooperation, sustainable development, and global harmony.

PM Narendra Modi’s meetings

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a busy schedule on Friday as the BRICS Summit kicks off in New Delhi. Many foreign dignitaries have already arrived in the national capital, with meetings with PM Modi scheduled throughout the day.

So far, the biggest name to arrive in Delhi on Friday has been Russian President Vladimir Putin. He landed at the Palam Air Force base after midnight to take part in the summit. Putin will also meet PM Modi for a bilateral meeting on Friday.

Apart from Putin, Modi will also meet United Nations (UN) secretary general António Guterres, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Security tightened in Delhi

Anti-drone systems overlooking key locations, more than 30,000 security personnel deployed across the city, emergency response plans, decorated public spaces and teams tasked with clearing stray animals – Delhi is pulling out all stops as it prepares to host the BRICS Summit 2026 from Friday.

The Delhi Police has deployed nearly 30,000 personnel for the summit, including 15,000 city police personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces.

Anti-drone systems have been installed at around 14 strategic locations across central, south and southwest Delhi, including Bharat Mandapam, the summit venue, and nine hotels where foreign dignitaries are staying, senior police officers said. The systems will monitor the skies along routes connecting the Indira Gandhi International and Palam airports with hotels, Bharat Mandapam and other sensitive locations, they said.