BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration unanimously as the 18th summit concluded on September 12.
The declaration called for restraint in the Middle East and covered AI cooperation, energy security and local-currency trade, without directly condemning the US-Israeli strikes or Iran’s actions against Gulf countries.
India helped mediate a joint statement between the UAE and Iran during the summit, with talks continuing until 4 am on September 12.
PM Modi said the Declaration reflected a BRICS that is ‘wider in reach and stronger in purpose’, urging time-bound action on its commitments.
Security was tightened significantly at the Bharat Mandapam venue for the summit’s final day, with thousands of personnel deployed across New Delhi.
Major summit themes included artificial intelligence cooperation, energy security, and stronger representation for Global South nations in international institutions.
The declaration’s adoption came after member states worked through sharp differences on the West Asia conflict and other contentious geopolitical issues in the lead-up to the summit.
The New Delhi Declaration called for restraint in the Middle East but stopped short of condemning either the US-Israeli strikes or Iran’s targeting of Gulf countries in the region.
The declaration also criticised the ongoing global trade war without directly naming the United States, reflecting the bloc’s effort to balance differing member positions.
BRICS did not launch a common currency at the summit, with the focus instead remaining on promoting local-currency trade and cross-border payment systems among member nations.
One of the summit’s notable diplomatic achievements was India’s mediating role in securing a joint statement between the United Arab Emirates and Iran, with talks reportedly continuing until 4 am on September 12.
PM Modi described the Declaration’s outcome as reflecting a BRICS that is ‘wider in reach and stronger in purpose’, urging members to translate the outcomes into time-bound action.
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
