30,000-security, separate hotels for Xi, Putin, Pezeshkian’s BRICS visit

Security has been intensified across Delhi, with teams from China and Russia already in place and elaborate convoy arrangements finalised for visiting leaders.

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Sep 10, 2026 12:45 PM IST

Delhi police personnel deploy ahead of the BRICS Summit 2026 near Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. (ANI Photo/Naveen Sharma)

Security has been stepped up at hotels in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri ahead of the BRICS summit, with the presidents of China and Russia scheduled to arrive in the capital later this week, officials said.

According to sources, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to arrive in India on September 11, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to arrive on September 12. Both leaders are expected to land at the Air Force Station in Palam before proceeding to hotels in the Chanakyapuri area.

“Security teams from China and Russia have already arrived at the hotels where the leaders are expected to stay. These teams are carrying advanced weapons and security equipment. Security personnel have been deployed from the floors where the presidents will stay to the rooftops and ground floors of the hotels,” a source said.

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A source said the Delhi Police Special Cell has been entrusted with the Chinese President’s security arrangements. “At the hotel where the Russian President is expected to stay, an additional deputy commissioner of police and two assistant commissioners of police have been deployed in separate shifts,” the source added.

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Police have also verified every hotel employee, including checks in Delhi and in their respective home states, sources said. Both presidents are expected to bring some of their own vehicles and convoy cars by aircraft.

Drill outside Bharat Mandapam, the venue for BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Express Photo: Amit Mehra)

The Delhi Police has deployed around 30,000 personnel as part of the security arrangements for the summit, covering the airport, hotels, and Bharat Mandapam. Around half the personnel are from Delhi Police, while the remaining are from paramilitary forces. “For better coordination, the security grid has been divided into sectors, with each sector placed under the charge of a deputy commissioner of police or an additional deputy commissioner of police,” a source said.

President of Iran to stay in a separate hotel

Most foreign dignitaries attending the BRICS summit will be accommodated in different hotels across New Delhi. According to a source, while the president of Indonesia, the prime minister of Ethiopia, the president of Kazakhstan, and Thailand’s deputy prime minister and finance minister will stay at the same hotel, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the finance ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Brazil will be accommodated at another hotel.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will stay in a hotel along with the VIP dignitaries of Bangladesh. “The president of South Africa will stay in a hotel with the president of Burundi. While the president of the Philippines, the prime minister of Vietnam, VIP dignitaries of Bolivia, and finance ministers of Cuba and Uruguay will stay in the same hotel,” the source added.

Also Read | 25,000 cops, 35 routes, 11 hotels: How Delhi is securing the BRICS Summit

The president of Iran will stay at a separate hotel. “The presidents of China and Belarus will stay in the same hotel. The prime minister of Malaysia, a Nigerian minister of state, the vice-president of Uganda, and the UN secretary-general will stay in the same hotel,” the source further said.

The heads of state and government from various countries are expected to reach Bharat Mandapam between 1.30 pm and 2.15 pm on Saturday. On Sunday, they are expected to arrive at the venue between 8.50 am and 9.25 am.

Sources said the UAE Crown Prince is expected to be the first to reach the venue on both days. The Russian president is likely to arrive last, preceded by the Chinese president.

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Officials said Russia and China are also expected to have the largest motorcades among the visiting delegations. “The traffic police have finalised routes for dignitaries travelling to Bharat Mandapam. Several route rehearsals have already been conducted,” the source added.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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