By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Presidency.
BRICS nations have unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration on the first day of the BRICS Summit 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam in India.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation and geopolitical alliance of major emerging market economies.
Full members of this association are Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Leaders attending the summit are Russian President Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among others.
New Delhi, which has strong ties with the United States, Russia, Israel, Iran and the Gulf Arab states, is engaged in a diplomatic balancing act, with host Prime Minister Narenda Modi pushing BRICS members to boost trade cooperation, reduce barriers and expand business opportunities.
Modi announced at the Summit, “The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously.”
The document calls for reform of multilateral institutions, including a “structural update” of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
It also rejects “unilateral acts of war” and calls for safeguarding seafarers and commercial shipping routes amid ongoing military tensions in the Middle East.
The breakthrough assumes particular significance given that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are all part of the same forum, despite deep differences and competing positions on several regional and geopolitical issues.
The declaration also advocated for a multilateral approach that respects diverse national viewpoints and positions on crucial global issues.
The joint statement voiced serious concerns about rise of unilateral tariff, non-tariff measures which distort trade, are inconsistent with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
Modi said that the bloc had come of age and it was time to translate its unity and consensus into concrete results on the global stage.
He also reiterated India’s longstanding demand for expansion of the U.N. Security Council, including permanent seats for itself and other emerging powers, saying that reform of the Security Council can no longer be delayed.
“The message of this BRICS Summit being held in India should be clear: If our future is shared, then the right to shape that future must also be shared,” Modi said.
The Summit, taking place from 12 to 13 September under India’s chairship, comes as BRICS seeks to strengthen cooperation among its expanded membership and advance the interests of the Global South.