Modi Warns Geopolitical Tensions and Supply Chain Shocks Threaten Global Stability at BRICS Summit
Modi warns rising geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and climate crises threaten global stability; BRICS agrees to disease early warning system.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned on Sunday that mounting geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and climate crises are increasingly affecting ordinary people worldwide, and called for stronger cooperation across the Global South.
Addressing the second day of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Modi said the number of conflicts and tensions around the world is continuously rising, with an increasingly negative and far-reaching impact on people's lives. He was speaking alongside other bloc leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Modi also cautioned that the weaponization of technology and critical minerals could hinder global development and shared prosperity. He noted that pandemics, climate disasters and supply chain disruptions have demonstrated that no crisis remains confined to a single region in today's interconnected world.
The prime minister announced that the bloc had agreed to establish an integrated early warning system for infectious diseases, aimed at improving preparedness and response to future outbreaks.
In a joint declaration issued on Saturday, the group expressed concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East and Sudan and called for disputes to be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. The declaration reaffirmed support for a multipolar world order and for reforms to the United Nations, including its Security Council, as well as global financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Leaders opposed unilateral sanctions and coercive economic measures, criticizing penalties not authorized by the United Nations. They also raised concerns over rising tariffs and nontariff barriers, saying these undermine global trade and supply chains.
The bloc backed greater use of local currencies in trade and stronger cross-border payment systems, while calling for cooperation on food security, energy, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and climate action.
Founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, BRICS has expanded to 11 members representing about half the world's population and a significant share of global economic output. It has sought greater representation for developing countries in global institutions and promoted alternatives to Western-dominated financial systems.
The joint declaration was described as a significant breakthrough, as forging consensus among Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — which hold competing positions on key regional and geopolitical issues — posed a complex diplomatic challenge amid ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions.