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Leaders representing the expanded BRICS group of nations have reached a unanimous consensus on a joint declaration during the opening day of their two-day summit in New Delhi. The adoption of the New Delhi Declaration marked an effort by the 18th annual gathering to project unity on global governance, even as deep internal disagreements over regional wars and economic disputes tested the cohesion of the international bloc.
The agreed text placed a primary focus on urging restraint across the Middle East, navigating complex geopolitical tensions without explicitly assigning blame. Rather than condemning the United States and Israel for military strikes or criticizing Iran for targeting Gulf neighbors, the communique relied on measured language to address escalating hostilities, while also voicing opposition to unilateral trade barriers without directly naming Washington.
High-profile attendees at the summit in the Indian capital included Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting unfolded against a backdrop of heightened international turmoil driven by the US-Israel war against Iran, expanding unilateral tariff disputes driven by the United States, and broader unilateral foreign policy actions.
Addressing fellow delegates, Prime Minister Modi framed the New Delhi gathering as a defining "coming of age" milestone for the bloc. He urged developing countries and the broader Global South to transition into active "rule-shapers" across international affairs rather than remaining passive recipients of rules formulated by traditional Western powers.
At the same time, Modi sought to manage perceptions regarding the bloc's geopolitical orientation by emphasizing that BRICS is not designed as an anti-Western coalition. Reaffirming India's diplomatic position, the Indian leader stated that the grouping is not opposed to any specific country, arguing instead that its primary mission is to secure a stronger voice for emerging economies in guiding global governance.
Originally established in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China primarily as a platform for economic cooperation, the alliance expanded in 2010 to include South Africa. It has since broadened significantly into an 11-member organization following the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. Together, the member states account for roughly 40 percent of global gross domestic product and comprise nearly half of the world's total population.
Leveraging this substantial demographic and economic footprint, the alliance has consistently lobbied for systemic structural reforms within legacy international institutions long dominated by Western nations. These reform priorities specifically target multilateral lenders and trade bodies, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization.
The conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran presented one of the most severe diplomatic tests for the newly expanded group. In their final declaration, the leaders articulated profound apprehension regarding the ongoing escalation of Middle Eastern hostilities. They issued an appeal for maximum restraint and urged all parties to refrain from destabilizing steps, intentionally avoiding direct references to the US, Israel, Iran, or neighboring Gulf states.
In his remarks during the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the ongoing hostilities do not advance the collective interests of the international community. The Chinese leader called on the involved parties to pursue a political settlement alongside a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire to halt further regional instability.
Reaching a unified position represented a significant diplomatic hurdle, particularly after BRICS foreign ministers failed to produce a joint communique during their ministerial talks in May due to entrenched disagreements over the war. The internal friction has been exacerbated by the fact that both Iran and the United Arab Emirates are full members of the bloc, despite the UAE sustaining Iranian attacks during the broader conflict.
The declaration further registered serious concern regarding deliberate strikes directed against civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear installations subject to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. This specific phrasing served as an indirect reference to previous military operations, including the 12-day conflict in 2025 during which the United States struck three major Iranian nuclear facilities located at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
Trade policy also required delicate balancing among member states. While the final text explicitly criticized unilateral tariffs as measures contrary to international law, the summit communique steered clear of singling out the United States. Observers noted that member states, including India, chose a restrained approach to preserve their respective bilateral trade relationships with Washington.
Assessing the outcome, former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao described the consensus as a notable diplomatic achievement for New Delhi, especially given the sharp friction between Tehran and Abu Dhabi. However, Rao observed that while the reliance on generalized language preserved consensus, it also demonstrated a key institutional limitation of BRICS: the alliance remains capable of maintaining diplomatic dialogue and asserting broad principles, yet it struggles to assign direct accountability or organize joint action when the strategic interests of its members collide.
Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, noted that expectations ahead of the New Delhi summit had been substantially diminished by global turbulence and clashing strategic agendas. Donthi concluded that member states committed to the alliance would view the modest outcome favorably, emphasizing that Indian diplomats utilized their bilateral channels behind the scenes to bridge the central divide between Iran and the UAE to secure the declaration.
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