18TH BRICS Summit-New Delhi Declaration 2026 adopted unanimously on 12 September is a masterstroke of Indian diplomacy under the leadership of PM Modi. Under the chairpersonship of India, PM Modi had given the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Stability” for the BRICS Summit 2026 held at New Delhi. The declaration was unanimous though it was tough to convince Iran and UAE to agree and it was another major win for the Indian diplomacy. More important, New Delhi 2026 Declaration marks a deliberate ‘strategic makeover’ for BRICS from purely an economic trade-oriented forum.
BRIC started as an informal group of Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006 and had its first summit in Russia in 2009, after the 2008 global financial crisis. South Africa joined in 2010 and the grouping became BRICS. Six more countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia) were added to the grouping between 2024 and 2025, thus after expansion, BRICS has 11 members.
The grouping has most impressive and dominating figures around it, 49.5 per cent of world’s population, 40 per cent global GDP, 26 per cent global trade and 35 per cent crude oil production. BRICS also has 10 partner countries (all admitted in 2025), namely Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The significance of BRICS can be gauged from the fact that more than 30 countries (including Pakistan and Turkey) are keen to join the grouping.
The first visible change after the New Delhi Declaration is that BRICS now represents a major geopolitical platform, with Russian President Putin calling it even more powerful than the US led G-7. From a mere growth-oriented coalition, the declaration explicitly frames BRICS as a platform for a more representative, reformed international order.
PM Modi talked of the global existing order akin to a pyramid where the base comprises of so many countries and a few countries at the apex of this pyramid take all the major global decisions. The declaration elevates BRICS as a vehicle for just world order, reforms in the UN, norms on war, sanctions, terrorism and regional conflicts. In fact, India scored a major diplomatic victory on terrorism, soon after successful intervention during the SCO Summit in Bishkek in the beginning of September this year.
The Delhi declaration condemned Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025 and called for zero tolerance on terrorism, while avoiding naming specific state sponsors. But the message should be loud and clear to Pakistan that any act of terror perpetrated against India is going to be difficult for even China to support. With an explicit stand on terrorism, India has achieved another major diplomatic victory after the Bishkek Declaration during the SCO Summit.
During the SCO Summit, PM Modi had called for dismantling the global ecosystem against terrorism. With the Delhi Declaration, India has been able to diplomatically isolate Pakistan on terrorism. With twin achievements in quick succession, India is now recognised as the authentic voice against global terrorism and is well-placed to be the lead agency to dismantle terror ecosystem in the world.
From a broader security perspective, the Delhi Declaration rejects “unilateral acts of war”, urges protection of seafarers and commercial shipping amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict. India exhibited strategic autonomy by indirectly sending a signal to the US and Israel, though it still shares good relations with both the countries. On Gaza, the declaration demands ceasefire implementation, unhindered humanitarian aid and opposes forced displacement, be it in Gaza or South Lebanon.
The declaration also reaffirms support for a two-state solution and Palestine’s full UN membership. In short, BRICS took a sharp position on the international security and the ongoing conflicts. Yet the Delhi Declaration took extra care not to appear as an overtly anti-Western platform. The same was conveyed by PM Modi in his concluding speech.
The declaration also adopted harsher language on unilateralism and sanctions. The declaration condemned unilateral coercive measures (sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council) as contrary to international law. It also criticised unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, which are inconsistent with WTO rules. The declaration also sought protection from supply-chain disruption and inequality. Both Russia and Iran face harshest sanctions from the US and other European nations.
President Trump has weaponised the tariffs and most of the nations, including India has suffered from an inconsistent trade structure in the US. The ongoing West Asia conflict has heightened oil crisis and the BRICS member nations should work towards mutual energy security. The grouping has a tough ask to keep the chokepoints Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb open, given the precarious situation of Iran in the ongoing West Asia conflict.
India also utilised the BRICS platform to build bridges with Iran, expand strategic partnership with Russia and make a cautious reset of India-China relations. President Xi Jinping came to India after a gap of seven years and India deftly avoided dominance of China in the BRICS affairs. Getting China to condemn Pahalgam terror attack is no mean diplomatic achievement, given the sensitivities of its ally Pakistan.
India thus managed the China factor with emphasis on cooperation amid competition. Since India hands over the chair of BRICS to China in January 2027, India indicated a cooperative tone with China on shared Global South priorities, while retaining the freedom to influence in the IOR or Indo-Pacific. The opening of the bilateral channel between India and China augurs well for a structured negotiation on settling the border dispute.
India can rightfully claim the credit for transforming a diverse BRICS into a coherent grouping, with consensus on most of the reform agenda. The declaration also called for enhanced role for India and Brazil in the UN affairs, a strong signal for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council. The overall tone and tenor of the declaration sought a revised world order in tune with global realities, enhanced role in global governance, with focus on multilateralism. India also emerged as a ‘bridge-builder’ as it secured a joint declaration unanimously, despite sharp differences between Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Thus, a large number of nations believe that India is the credible mediator to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the West Asia conflict. In diplomatic parlance, a reliable country that can mediate in polarised settings makes India a stronger nation. India has also sought deepening of strategic autonomy through local currency trade, as proved successfully between India and Russia. India has aggressively promoted UPI/rupee-trade push in the recent years.
Without any mention of de-dollarisation, India has looked at new partners to diversify its trade. India is also emerging as a major defence export hub. The newly launched document ‘RAKSHA’ gives a fresh impetus to India’s defence diplomacy. India is already exporting military hardware to about 100 countries and through trade and defence partnership, India’s Global South network has expanded rapidly in the recent years. The call for equal Global South participation in the future technology, like AI, digital finance, space, cyber etc. positions India as a voice for the developing countries.
The road ahead for India is going to be tough. Except China, none of our immediate neighbours is a member of BRICS. There was news of Bangladesh PM being invited as an observer. So, India may have to manage its neighbours more deftly.
India’s immediate HADR to Nepal after the flash floods should be a gentle reminder to our neighbours that India alone helps them in a crisis situation, without any favours in return. India also has to check Pakistan in its games, particularly when their Army Chief Asim Munir is the de facto ruler of the nation. India has sought cooperation with China and is likely to proceed ahead towards normalcy with adequate caution. India has to leverage its markets more aggressively with China and also initiate measures to minimise trade imbalance with China.
The successful hosting of the BRICS Summit 2026 at New Delhi is another feather in the cap of PM Modi. PM Modi has firmly established himself as a global statesman of repute. As a result, India is seen as a major power which can influence the global narrative for the good of the world. It is therefore unfortunate that some political opposition in India has tried to underplay the achievements of the summit. Some nitpicking about the only vegetarian menu is also deplorable.
India’s foreign policy is above the domestic politics. Such narrow mindset may give the impression to the world that India is not able to manage the internal politics. For a common Indian, the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit is a matter of pride. Such undesirable criticism is also demoralising for thousands of diplomats and other participants who toiled for more than one year to make the event an astounding success.
In the last two years, India has held the chair of G-20 and BRICS, with substantial contribution also to the SCO. The world at large has been under various types of strain during this period. India has also responded strongly against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May last year. The ongoing Russia- Ukraine war and the West Asia conflict has burdened most of the economies. President Trump’s tariffs have further compounded the economic crisis.
Yet India continues to be the fastest growing economy in the world, a fact acknowledged by the major global agencies. India has displayed brilliant statecraft by giving BRICS a strategic makeover, in the larger interest of the Global South. BRICS in its new avatar is likely to drive multilateral reforms, equitable trade, technology transfer and above all security concerns. India under the leadership of PM Modi has reinvigourated BRICS as the go to strategic platform to promote peace and prosperity in the world.
