BRICS Summit in New Delhi Tackles Global Conflicts, Trade and Reform of World Institutions
Leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping have concluded their summit in New Delhi with a broad agenda covering geopolitical conflicts, global economic uncertainty, trade, energy security, climate change, technology and reform of international institutions. India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12–13 under its fourth BRICS chairship.
The summit was held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting India’s effort to place development and the interests of the Global South at the centre of BRICS cooperation. The grouping has also reached the 20-year milestone since its establishment.
The meeting comes at a particularly difficult moment for the international system. Conflicts in the Middle East, continuing geopolitical tensions, disruptions to energy and trade routes, climate risks and growing concerns over critical supply chains have increased pressure on emerging economies. Reuters reported ahead of the summit that the conflict involving Iran had created an especially difficult test for BRICS unity because both Iran and the UAE are members of the expanded grouping.
Despite those differences, BRICS leaders reached a joint declaration addressing a range of international issues. The declaration reaffirmed support for a more representative international order, stronger multilateral institutions and greater participation by developing countries in global decision-making.
United Nations reform was an important part of the discussions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres also discussed the need to reform multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council, so that they better reflect present-day global realities. Their talks covered conflicts, freedom of navigation, sustainable development, human-centric artificial intelligence, renewable energy and global food security.
Economic cooperation was another major focus. BRICS members discussed strengthening trade and investment, improving cross-border payment mechanisms, expanding the use of local currencies and building greater resilience against disruptions to international supply chains. These measures reflect the bloc’s broader attempt to reduce vulnerabilities in a global economy increasingly affected by geopolitical tensions and trade barriers.
Energy and food security also received significant attention. The disruption of major energy routes has highlighted the vulnerability of countries dependent on international supplies, while climate-related risks are placing additional pressure on agriculture and food systems. BRICS has therefore sought closer cooperation in energy transition, agriculture, disaster resilience and sustainable development.
Technology and artificial intelligence emerged as another strategic area. The summit agenda included innovation, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies, with India promoting cooperation aimed at ensuring that technological progress contributes to inclusive development rather than widening global inequalities.
Health security was also elevated on the agenda. Prime Minister Modi announced an initiative for an early-warning system for infectious diseases, reflecting lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing recognition that health emergencies can quickly become economic and geopolitical crises.
The expanded BRICS format has increased the group’s demographic and economic weight but has simultaneously made consensus more difficult. The bloc now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, creating a grouping that brings together countries with significantly different strategic interests.
Relations between India and China were another closely watched element of the summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s presence in New Delhi and his meeting with Modi provided an opportunity for the two Asian powers to discuss bilateral relations and regional concerns. The encounter came amid efforts by both countries to stabilize ties following years of tensions along their disputed Himalayan border.
Russia also remained central to the summit’s geopolitical calculations. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the meeting, while India continued its effort to maintain strategic relations with Moscow alongside its expanding engagement with Western countries and other major powers. Modi’s approach has emphasized that BRICS should function as a platform for cooperation rather than as an alliance directed against any particular country.
For India, the summit represents an attempt to strengthen its position as a bridge between developed and developing economies. New Delhi has sought to present BRICS not simply as an alternative to Western-led institutions but as a mechanism through which developing countries can obtain a greater voice in global governance.
The biggest challenge now will be translating the New Delhi Declaration into concrete outcomes. The diversity of the expanded membership means that agreement on broad principles can be easier than coordinated action on conflicts, trade, sanctions, currencies and security.
Nevertheless, the New Delhi summit demonstrates that BRICS has become an increasingly important forum for discussions on the future of the global order. Its ability to maintain dialogue among countries with sharply different interests could determine how influential the grouping becomes in the years ahead.
With India’s chairship now concluding, the BRICS presidency passes to China, setting the stage for the next phase of the bloc’s development and its continuing effort to balance geopolitical differences with its ambitions for greater cooperation among emerging powers.
