BRICS Adopts New Delhi Declaration as India Steers Expanded Bloc
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit, securing a unanimous New Delhi Declaration amid debates over expansion, sanctions and global reform.
The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi concluded with the unanimous adoption of the 2026 New Delhi Declaration, capping a gathering that tested India's ability to reconcile the divergent priorities of an expanded bloc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that consensus had been reached across all member states after extensive overnight negotiations, with no country raising an objection to the final text. The outcome followed a period of uncertainty, including the failure of BRICS foreign ministers to agree on a joint statement in May.
The summit brought together leaders from eleven full member states, among them the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia, alongside a Saudi Arabia whose participation remains partial. High-profile bilateral engagements featured Modi's interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the latter marking the Chinese leader's first visit to India in seven years.
Talks with Xi signalled continued efforts to stabilise the Line of Actual Control and normalise trade and investment ties after years of border friction. Discussions with Russia centred on energy partnerships, military-technical cooperation and commercial links.
On West Asia, the Declaration voiced grave concern over rising regional tensions, urging maximum restraint, adherence to international law on protecting civilians and infrastructure, and unhindered humanitarian relief. It rejected policies leading to forced displacement and reaffirmed support for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders.
Regarding Ukraine, the text avoided singling out any nation, stressing that global security is indivisible and calling for resolution through dialogue and multilateral diplomacy, with emphasis on root causes and state sovereignty.
The Declaration also backed restructuring the United Nations Security Council and Bretton Woods institutions to give developing economies a greater voice, and opposed unilateral economic sanctions, trade protectionism and terrorism.
Economic cooperation remained central. Debate over a single BRICS currency has given way to practical measures such as local currency settlement mechanisms, aimed at reducing dependence on the US dollar and Western financial infrastructure. The New Development Bank continues to expand its capital base and membership. Harmonising financial regulations across diverse economies remains a key challenge.
Expansion has widened the bloc's demographic and economic weight but deepened internal divergence. Russia and Iran often view BRICS as a counterweight to the G7 and NATO, while India, Brazil and South Africa favour a non-Western alignment that seeks to reform, not dismantle, existing institutions. Managing regional rivalries within the group, including between Iran and the UAE and among African members, required careful agenda control.
With some 40 countries aspiring to join, the summit underscored BRICS' role as a platform for Global South demands. India's chairmanship now gives way to China's next year.