Context:

• Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026, Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlines how the UAE approaches BRICS.
• The UAE became a full member of BRICS in January 2024. Its engagement rests on one simple principle: economic cooperation must create tangible opportunities for countries, businesses and people.
• In a world of growing complexity and uncertainty, the value of international cooperation must be measured by its ability to deliver stability, resilience and shared prosperity.

Diversity as the Strength of BRICS

• BRICS draws strength from its diversity. Its members have different economic structures, resources, capabilities and development experiences. They include:
  • Major producers and consumers
  • Sources of capital and investment destinations
  • Energy exporters
  • Manufacturing centres
• These differences create room for complementarity. Markets, capital, capabilities and ideas can be connected in ways that benefit members and, by extension, the wider Global South.

The UAE's Approach to BRICS

• The UAE's participation in BRICS flows from its broader commitment to multilateralism, constructive dialogue and diversified international partnerships.
• It seeks to build bridges between economies and regions. It supports an open international system that promotes peace, stability, sustainable development and shared prosperity.
• For the UAE, the real value of BRICS lies in implementation. Dialogue must translate into easier trade, stronger investment flows, more resilient supply chains, better connectivity and greater opportunities for businesses.

Relevance of India's 2026 Chairship

• India's BRICS Chairship is centred on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. Analysts see this as a timely framework.
• Trade restrictions, supply-chain disruptions and uncertainty are raising costs for businesses and consumers.
• The right response, as per the experts, is not to retreat from global economic integration but to make it more resilient and inclusive.
• BRICS can deliver tangible benefits in five areas:
  • Strengthening the multilateral trading system
  • Facilitating trade and investment
  • Improving connectivity
  • Supporting resilient global value chains
  • Promoting sustainable development

Development Finance and the New Development Bank

• Development finance is a key part of this agenda. The New Development Bank (NDB) has approved more than $40 billion in financing since its establishment.
• This has supported infrastructure and sustainable development across member countries.
• The UAE engaged actively with the NDB long before joining BRICS, reflecting its commitment to mobilising capital for productive investment and long-term growth.

UAE-India Partnership as a Model

• The UAE-India relationship shows what practical connectivity can achieve.
• The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has created a more enabling environment for trade and investment between two highly complementary economies.
• Key figures:
  • Non-oil bilateral trade grew by 17 per cent in 2025 to exceed $76 billion.
  • The two countries aim to raise bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032.
• The relationship goes beyond trade. It is reinforced by investment, innovation, education, tourism and long-standing links between businesses, institutions and people.

The Broader Lesson: Connectivity Across Societies

• The UAE-India experience offers a lesson for BRICS. The strongest economic partnerships are built not only through agreements between governments but through lasting connections across societies.
• These create trust, opportunity and resilience, allowing commercial ties to deepen over time.
• Economic connectivity grows when businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and institutions become familiar with one another.
• It is strengthened through education, research, tourism, cultural exchange and engagement of younger generations.
• The opportunity for BRICS is to deepen the quality of connectivity among members, linking not just economies but also institutions, ideas and people.

The UAE's Advantages as a Connector

• The UAE is well placed to contribute because connectivity lies at the heart of its own economic model. Its strengths include:
  • Non-oil sectors accounted for almost 79 per cent of GDP in 2025.
  • World-class infrastructure, trusted financial institutions, advanced logistics and energy capabilities.
  • An open investment environment that helps businesses scale up and expand outward.
  • Ports, airports and logistics networks connecting markets across Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond.
  • Financial centres linking international capital with regional opportunities.
  • Universities, research institutions and an innovation ecosystem connecting talent and ideas.
  • Sovereign wealth assets exceeding $2.9 trillion.
  • 38 concluded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements.
• For the UAE, connectivity is not merely about moving goods between markets. It is about creating conditions in which capital, knowledge, technology, talent and people can interact and generate new opportunities.
• Its approach builds cooperation around connectivity, not division.

The Path Ahead

• As India leads BRICS through 2026, experts see an opportunity to move towards delivery: building resilience without closing markets, supporting innovation while widening opportunity, and strengthening ties among businesses, institutions and people.
• The UAE also looks forward to China's BRICS Chairship in 2027, hoping to carry forward the same spirit of openness, connectivity and practical cooperation.
• Ultimately, the success of BRICS will be measured by the opportunities it creates.

Conclusion

• The UAE presents BRICS as a platform for practical economic cooperation rather than geopolitical division.
• Its emphasis on connectivity, implementation and people-to-people ties aligns well with India's 2026 chairship agenda.
• The UAE-India partnership, driven by CEPA and ambitious trade targets, offers a working model of how BRICS members can convert dialogue into shared prosperity.