Newsletter
BRICS summit ended on Sunday with several India-specific outcomes. However, the most important highlight was reaching consensus.
Now before we get into the details, here is a little context - BRICS is a group of major emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia and this year’s summit was especially important as India hosted it.
What is ‘reaching consensus’: the group adopted the New Delhi Declaration, outlining what BRICS countries agreed on across trade, terrorism, artificial intelligence and reforms to global institutions.
Getting every BRICS member to agree was a big deal this time. In May, BRICS foreign ministers couldn't even release a joint statement because Iran and the UAE disagreed on key issues.
Key highlights:
On trade: BRICS pushed back against countries imposing tariffs and trade restrictions on their own. While it did not name the US or announce counter-tariffs, it called for a fairer and more predictable global trading system.
On terrorism: the group strongly condemned terrorism and specifically mentioned the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. It also called for action against terror funding, safe havens and terrorists moving across borders.
On West Asia: despite differences among members, BRICS found common ground. It called for dialogue to reduce tensions, protection of civilians and uninterrupted energy and trade flows. It also backed humanitarian aid for Gaza and reiterated support for a two-state solution.
On money: there is no BRICS currency yet. Instead, members want to make it easier and cheaper to trade and invest using their own currencies.
On AI: BRICS wants developing countries to get better access to AI while ensuring the technology remains safe and inclusive.
India’s push: the declaration also backed Indian proposals around digital public infrastructure, healthcare, manufacturing technology and development cooperation.
