New Delhi: In a landmark multilateral milestone hosted at Bharat Mandapam under India's fourth BRICS Chairship, leaders of the expanded 10-member bloc unanimously adopted the comprehensive 140-point New Delhi Declaration 2026. Guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', the summit concluded negotiations that bridged deep regional divides, particularly between West Asian member states, to establish a unified Global South strategic agenda. Addressing the plenary assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on emerging economies to dismantle the outdated 'pyramid of privilege' governing post-World War II multilateralism and transform it into an open 'platform of partnership', transitioning developing nations from passive rule-followers into proactive rule-shapers. For official diplomatic communiqués, summit declarations, and bilateral press releases, visit the Ministry of External Affairs Official Portal.

Major Diplomatic Victory: Consensus on Counter-Terrorism

Securing unanimous language on international security across a geographically and politically diverse grouping was a signature accomplishment of Indian diplomacy:

Also Read: Trump, Tech Giants Ink Voluntary AI Pact Amid Global Regulatory Push
  • Explicit Condemnation of the Pahalgam Attack: In an explicit diplomatic win for New Delhi, the joint declaration condemned in the strongest terms the cross-border terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, demanding strict accountability, the immediate dismantling of terror financing channels, and the elimination of cross-border safe havens.
  • Rejection of Double Standards: The declaration affirmed that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization, or ethnic group. Leaders called for an expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) under the United Nations framework and demanded coordinated global action against all UN-designated terrorist entities.

PM Modi’s 10-Point Roadmap for Global Governance Reform

Prime Minister Modi laid out an operational 10-point strategic framework aimed at reforming global institutions across representation, responsiveness, and rule-making:

  • UNSC Expansion: Demanded time-bound, text-based negotiations to reform the United Nations Security Council, with explicit permanent-member backing from Russia and China for permanent representation for India and Brazil.
  • Bretton Woods Realignment: Recalibrating voting shares and leadership quotas within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to align with the actual share of emerging economies in global GDP.
  • Financial Interoperability: Strengthening local-currency cross-border trade settlements through the BRICS Payment Task Force and national central bank interlinking, while maintaining a practical stance that bypasses premature single-currency models.
  • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Democratizing public governance architecture by instituting an open-source BRICS DPI Repository for identity, payment, and health platforms.
  • Ethical AI and Quantum Standards: Preventing technology monopolies and establishing human-centric, trustworthy AI frameworks tailored to the economic realities of developing economies.
  • Maritime Security Network: Launching the 'Seafarers Emergency Support Network' to protect commercial maritime workers and transit corridors operating across vulnerable geopolitical choke points.
  • Balanced Energy Transitions: Acknowledging fossil-fuel realities for developing states while scaling clean energy infrastructure through the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids.
  • Agricultural Diversification: Operationalizing the BRICS Grain Exchange to protect global food supply chains against unilateral trade restrictions and export controls.
  • Pharmaceutical Harmonization: Creating mutual regulatory recognition mechanisms for affordable generic medicines and launching an international mental health network anchored by NIMHANS.
  • Permanent Institutional Secretariat: Establishing permanent operational continuity across rotating chairs, beginning with the structured handover to China's 2027 Chairship.

Geopolitical Balances: West Asia, Ukraine, and Unilateral Tariffs

The declaration navigated sensitive global fault lines with measured diplomatic consensus:

  • West Asian Peace Framework: Expressing grave concern over the escalation in Gaza and Lebanon, the summit demanded adherence to active ceasefires, opposed the forced displacement of Palestinians, endorsed a sovereign two-state solution based on 1967 borders, and urged diplomatic restraint.
  • Ukraine Resolution: Reaffirmed national positions while formally endorsing third-party mediation initiatives and resolving conflicts through sustained bilateral consultations and diplomacy.
  • Opposition to Protectionist Tariffs: The bloc condemned unilateral coercive economic measures, secondary sanctions, and trade distortions disguised as green tariffs, demanding the immediate restoration of a fully functional, binding two-tier World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism.

The Modi–Xi Bilateral Engagement

Marking his first visit to India in nearly seven years, Chinese President Xi Jinping held structured bilateral talks with PM Modi on the sidelines of the summit. Following reviews of military disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and economic trade ties, President Xi outlined a four-point strategic perspective: viewing bilateral ties through a multi-decade civilizational lens, enhancing strategic security communication, expanding non-sensitive economic and manufacturing cooperation, and jointly championing Global South leadership on the world stage.