The 18th BRICS Summit began on Friday at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leaders including Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping and heads of state from South Africa, Brazil, the UAE and Iran attended the meeting.
Welcoming the leaders, Modi said it was a matter of satisfaction to host the summit. He described sustainable development as India’s guiding mantra and said people and humanitarian concerns should remain the primary focus.
Modi said BRICS should move forward in a way that brings countries together and that members must work collectively to further strengthen the grouping. He stressed that BRICS has acquired a new identity, is not directed against anyone, and called for creating plans for the next 20 years.
He also urged timely reforms in the UN General Assembly, underlined the importance of maritime trade, and said the safety of seafarers must be ensured “at any cost.” Pointing to global crises, he said developing countries are often the first to be affected but remain in the back row when decisions are made, and argued that this power structure must change so they become rule-makers, not just rule-followers.
A “BRICS Delhi Declaration” was adopted, centred on the message that dialogue and diplomacy are the only path to progress, without naming any country. Modi said the declaration was adopted as no member opposed it, and he also released special postage stamps to mark BRICS completing 20 years.
