BRICS Reaches Consensus on Joint Statement After Overnight Talks in India
BRICS nations have reportedly agreed on a joint communique after negotiations stretched until 4 am, with India mediating differences over West Asia tensions.
BRICS members have reportedly reached a consensus on a joint statement following negotiations that continued until 4 am on Saturday, with India playing a central role in reconciling differences among the grouping's members.
The agreement, reported by wire agencies, covers a joint communique among the ten full members and Saudi Arabia despite sharply divergent geopolitical positions. The talks were especially complex because they required securing agreement among countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The consensus is significant because all three — Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — are part of the expanded BRICS grouping despite deep differences and competing regional and geopolitical positions. Their presence in the same forum complicated consensus-building, particularly as West Asia remains gripped by heightened tensions and the Iran war.
According to the reports, the most difficult discussions centred on the Iran conflict, where BRICS members hold differing strategic and political positions. India led sustained consultations with member countries to bridge these competing stances and prevent disagreements over contentious issues from derailing the outcome.
The joint statement is expected to be issued during the BRICS Summit on Saturday, 12 September. It is expected to set out the group's common position on major international and geopolitical developments discussed by leaders and delegations.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed BRICS delegates, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, to Bharat Mandapam, the summit venue. India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
The theme reflects India's stated focus on strengthening the grouping's existing achievements and institutional effectiveness while placing development, sustainability and innovation at the centre of the agenda. It also emphasises the aspirations of the Global South and India's aim of reinforcing BRICS as a constructive forum focused on cooperation and practical solutions.
BRICS has developed into an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies, providing a forum to discuss economic policy, global governance and shared development priorities. Its agenda spans development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges, and it has sought to amplify the interests of the Global South in international institutions. Its expanding membership has brought together economies with different political systems, strategic priorities and regional interests, making consensus-building a key part of its functioning.