NEW DELHI — Leaders of the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration on the opening day of their two-day summit in India, establishing a carefully negotiated compromise on global economic governance while managing severe geopolitical rifts among its member states.
The summit brought together leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Representing nearly half the world’s population and roughly 40 percent of global gross domestic product, the bloc faced the challenge of maintaining organizational cohesion amid active hostiles in the Middle East, ongoing war in Ukraine, and mounting trade friction involving the United States.
Diplomatic Compromise Amid Regional Wars
The primary diplomatic challenge for the host nation was forging consensus among members directly or indirectly affected by global conflicts. According to Al Jazeera, the final declaration called for general restraint in the Middle East and expressed deep concern over escalating regional tensions, but omitted explicit references to the United States, Israel, Iran, or the Gulf states.
This carefully calibrated phrasing followed significant friction within the group. In May 2026, BRICS foreign ministers had failed to issue a joint statement due to divergent positions on Middle Eastern hostilities, particularly given that both Iran and the United Arab Emirates are full members of the expanded grouping. Former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao noted that securing a unanimous text represented a notable diplomatic outcome, observing that while consensus was preserved through generalized language, the bloc’s reliance on broad statements highlights both its utility as a discussion forum and its limitations in organizing collective action when member interests directly collide.
The declaration also included explicit references to international law regarding protected infrastructure. Without directly identifying specific military operations, the text raised concern over deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards—a passage addressing recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
Positions on Ukraine and Global Sanctions
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, the declaration maintained a neutral stance, advocating for the resolution of international disputes through dialogue, consultation, and diplomacy without naming Ukraine directly. However, member nations united in criticizing unilateral economic measures and tariffs implemented outside the framework of the United Nations Security Council.
The text called for the removal of unlawful unilateral sanctions, framing them as violations of the UN Charter that disrupt international commerce, supply chains, and energy flows. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated following the sessions that President Putin welcomed offers from both President Xi and Prime Minister Modi to assist in potential peace negotiations regarding Ukraine.
On Middle Eastern political settlement, the summit adopted more specific language regarding Palestine. BRICS leaders expressed firm opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians, reiterated calls for an immediate end to hostiles in Gaza, demanded unhindered access for humanitarian aid, and reaffirmed support for full UN membership for Palestine alongside a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Economic Proposals and Technology Initiatives
Beyond security matters, economic reform and technological cooperation formed the core of substantive discussions. Speaking at the assembly, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that BRICS should not be viewed as an anti-Western alignment, but rather as an enterprise aimed at elevating the Global South from a “rule-taker” to a “rule-shaper” in global governance institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and WTO.
China outlined a detailed agenda for economic and technological alignment within the grouping. Official statements published by China’s Foreign Ministry detailed five major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping during the summit’s second session:
- Open Source AI Community: Establishing a joint BRICS framework for large language model development, technical seminars, and shared artificial intelligence governance.
- Trade and Investment Facilitation: Creating a BRICS special economic zone partnership featuring an intelligent portal to coordinate trade policies and host a dedicated Trade in Services Forum.
- Digital Industry Cooperation: Building a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform to advance technological exchange and digital skills training.
- Intelligent Manufacturing: Supporting standard-setting and technical assistance for building smart manufacturing facilities across member states.
- Science and Innovation Partnerships: Enhancing joint research capabilities across emerging industrial sectors.
Institutional Realities of the Expanded Bloc
Analysts noted that the New Delhi summit provided a realistic assessment of what the enlarged 11-member BRICS can accomplish. Praveen Donthi, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, remarked that given conflicting strategic priorities among members, expectations for concrete political unity were modest, making the adoption of a shared economic and regulatory declaration a functional success for the bloc’s continuity.
While the declaration refrained from naming the United States in its critique of unilateral tariffs and trade restrictions, the collective emphasis on local-currency trade, supply chain resilience, and reformed multilateral institutions underscores the group’s long-term intention to build alternatives to Western-dominated economic structures without committing to a rigid political alliance.