India’s May 2026 diplomatic calendar is anchored by a dense sequence of multilateral and bilateral engagements against the backdrop of the unresolved West Asia conflict. New Delhi is set to host a foreign minister-level meeting of the BRICS grouping on 14 to 15 May, which will provide the first in-person interaction between officials of Iran and the United Arab Emirates since the US-Israel attack on Iran began on 28 February 2026. A Quad foreign ministers’ meeting is also likely to take place in India during May. Alongside these multilateral engagements, bilateral diplomacy with key partners is expected to intensify.
Bilateral engagement with Washington will accelerate in parallel. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit India in mid-May on his first trip to New Delhi in his current role, with discussions set to cover trade, critical minerals, defence and the Quad agenda. Beyond Washington, India’s diplomatic push is expected to extend across Europe through a series of high-level summit engagements.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to undertake a series of European engagements this summer, including the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo in May and the G-7 Summit in France from 15 to 17 June, to which India has been invited. France and India have confirmed Prime Minister Modi’s participation in the G7 Summit, and these engagements have been framed by New Delhi and Paris as helping sustain momentum after the conclusion of India-EU free trade negotiations in January. Prime Minister Modi has also been invited by President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto to attend the France-Africa summit in Nairobi on 11 to 12 May, although participation remains to be confirmed. These diplomatic engagements are expected to run in tandem with a significant trade and economic agenda.
The trade agenda runs in parallel with the diplomatic one. The India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, is expected to enter into force in the second week of May, potentially marking the most consequential post-Brexit trade alignment for the United Kingdom and one of India’s most comprehensive agreements with a partner outside Asia. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has indicated that India and Oman are working to ensure that their free trade agreement enters into force by 1 May., and that India and Canada are aiming to hold a joint commission to expand trade activities by late May or early June, with Goyal scheduled to visit Canada during the month for follow-up talks on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Alongside these economic priorities, political outreach to Africa and the wider Global South will remain an important parallel track.
India is preparing to host the India-Africa Summit [fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV)] on 31 May, to reinforce partnerships with the Global South through dialogue with African countries and the AU Commission, deepen South-South cooperation, and showcase inclusive development and governance initiatives. This outreach to Africa comes alongside India’s efforts to position itself as a voice for developing nations at multilateral forums, including at the recent WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon.