Leaders of the BRICS group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration on the first day of the two-day summit in New Delhi, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The summit, hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, takes place on September 12–13, 2026, with India serving as the BRICS Chair for the 2026 edition.
New Delhi Hosts BRICS Summit 2026 as Leaders Adopt Joint Declaration
The event brings together leaders of member and partner countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and leaders from South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, and Ethiopia, as Livemint reported. The official theme for this year’s gathering is Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
Ahead of the proceedings, the Delhi Traffic Police implemented a detailed traffic management plan affecting over 35 roads in central, south, and adjoining areas to facilitate the movement of foreign delegates and VIP motorcades.
Navigating Geopolitical Divisions and the New Delhi Declaration
The adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday marked a notable diplomatic achievement, overcoming significant internal divisions among member states regarding ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. According to Yahoo News, the declaration expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East and called for maximum restraint without explicitly naming the US, Israel, Iran, or Gulf states targeted in the conflict. The consensus successfully bridged a major hurdle between member states Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
India’s Transformative Agenda and Pillars of Cooperation
Guided by its 2026 chairship theme, India’s agenda for the forum focuses on steering practical cooperation across commerce, agriculture, healthcare, energy, digital technology, urban development, small enterprise empowerment, startups, climate action, and cultural exchanges, as detailed by The Economic Times. The framework is structured around four primary pillars:
- Resilience: Protecting institutions, societies, and economies from supply-chain disruptions, health crises, geopolitical shocks, and climate risks.
- Innovation: Concentrating on artificial intelligence, financial technologies, digital public infrastructure, and data-driven systems.
- Cooperation: Fortifying trade corridors through initiatives such as the BRICS Global Value Chains Action Plan 2026-2030 and guiding principles for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
- Sustainability: Integrating climate resilience into practical measures like voluntary principles for climate-resilient urban infrastructure.
To further support these goals, India proposed several institutional mechanisms, including a BRICS invoice discounting mechanism, an MSME Cooperation Portal, a BRICS Incubator Network, and a Startup Innovation Fund. In agriculture, India is coordinating the initial phase of the BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture to integrate artificial intelligence, geospatial tools, and digital public infrastructure into farming.
