BRICS Leaders Adopt New Delhi Declaration 2026, Call for Restraint in Middle East
BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026 unanimously, calling for calm in the Middle East and condemning unilateral tariffs and sanctions.
Leaders of the 11-nation BRICS grouping adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026 unanimously on Saturday, the second day of their summit in the Indian capital, overcoming divisions that had blocked agreement among foreign ministers earlier this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flanked by the leaders of Russia, China, Iran and other member states, posed for the traditional family photograph at Bharat Mandapam before announcing the consensus. "No member has raised any objection. The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously," he said.
The joint statement expressed deep concern over continued escalation in the Middle East and West Asia, urging maximum restraint and an avoidance of actions that could worsen the situation. The agreement followed intense diplomatic efforts by host India. Foreign ministers had failed to reach a common position when they met in New Delhi in May, with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates divided over the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, attending alongside Russian and Iranian counterparts, told the summit that the Middle East war does not serve the common interests of the international community. Iran's President Pezeshkian, whose country is at war and whose tensions threaten the Strait of Hormuz, warned that the region does not need the United States as a "regional policeman". He met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the summit sidelines.
India is chairing BRICS in 2026 under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". The bloc was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers.
The declaration condemned terrorism in all its manifestations, including cross-border terrorist activity, financing networks and safe havens, and specifically censured the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. It backed zero tolerance, strict accountability and faster adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
On trade, the document voiced serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. It reaffirmed support for a WTO-centred multilateral trading framework and demanded the immediate revival of a fully operational, two-tier binding dispute settlement mechanism, along with the appointment of Appellate Body members.
The leaders also condemned unilateral coercive measures contrary to international law, calling for their termination on the grounds that they undermine international law and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter. They voiced deep disquiet over illicit financial flows linked to narcotics offences, firearms trafficking, terror financing and organised crime, urging stronger cross-border cooperation.
Member states reaffirmed adherence to mutual respect, sovereign equality, solidarity, inclusivity and consensus, and committed to deepening collaboration across political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people pillars. On regional stability, they stressed proactive conflict prevention addressing root causes and reiterated a commitment to settling disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.