New Delhi Declaration adopted unanimously — 140 paragraphs covering trade, AI, critical minerals, and the Global South.
India’s moment at the centre of global geopolitics arrived on September 12, 2026, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi — the most consequential multilateral gathering India has hosted since the G20 in 2023. Leaders from all eleven BRICS members were present, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and heads of state from Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and South Africa. The summit was held under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship and the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.’
The two-day summit produced the New Delhi Declaration — a landmark 140-paragraph consensus document representing the most comprehensive articulation of BRICS collective priorities in the bloc’s history. The Declaration covers global governance reform, the reform of multilateral financial institutions including the IMF and World Bank, intra-BRICS trade facilitation, digital economy cooperation, AI governance, critical minerals supply chain security, energy transition pathways, climate finance, food security, and expanded people-to-people connectivity. Each of the eleven member economies endorsed the text without reservation.
For Indian industry, the summit’s most actionable outcomes are the trade and investment commitments. The New Delhi Declaration endorses the BRICS MSME Connectivity Portal — a digital platform to connect businesses across member economies in cross-border value chains — and commits members to credit-assessment framework improvements for export-oriented MSMEs. India’s paint, chemicals, and coatings manufacturers exporting to BRICS members — collectively representing over $5 trillion in GDP — stand to benefit from reduced trade friction and improved payment mechanism frameworks now under active development within the BRICS Finance Track.
What Did the New Delhi Declaration Commit To?
The Declaration’s 140 paragraphs cover: global financial system reform (IMF vote redistribution), BRICS payment system development reducing dollar dependency, digital public infrastructure cooperation, AI governance norms, critical minerals access frameworks, climate finance commitments, and expanded BRICS Business Council mandates. India’s push for BRICS+South connectivity was reflected in dedicated chapters on MSME support and supply chain diversification.
What Happens Next?
South Africa assumes the BRICS chairship for 2027. Implementation working groups on the BRICS MSME Connectivity Portal and the payment mechanism framework will submit progress reports at the next Finance Ministers’ meeting in Q1 2027. India’s Commerce Ministry will follow up bilaterally with UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia on specific market access commitments made on the sidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Delhi Declaration from BRICS 2026?
The New Delhi Declaration is a 140-paragraph consensus document adopted unanimously at the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026. It covers trade facilitation, AI governance, critical minerals, climate finance, and multilateral financial system reform across all 11 BRICS member nations.
How does the BRICS Summit affect Indian industry?
Indian manufacturers and MSMEs gain potential access to the BRICS MSME Connectivity Portal for cross-border business linkages, improved payment mechanisms reducing dollar-transaction friction, and bilateral market access commitments with fast-growing BRICS economies including UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.
Which countries attended the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi?
All 11 BRICS member states attended: India (host), Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. PM Modi chaired the summit held at Bharat Mandapam under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship theme of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.
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