India hosted the two‑day BRICS summit in New Delhi. On Saturday the bloc adopted a joint declaration by consensus, marking a diplomatic breakthrough for the host nation. The agreement came after Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose positions on the West Asia conflict had been sharply divided, were brought to the table through a series of back‑channel negotiations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration at the close of the opening day’s deliberations.
The negotiations on the wording of the declaration were tight. Both Iran and the UAE had initially hardened their stances, and because BRICS operates on a consensus basis, any single member could have blocked the final text. During the same session, Modi shook hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a gesture that highlighted the collaborative tone of the summit.
In his concluding remarks, Modi said the current global order must be reshaped by reforms that improve representation, responsiveness and rule‑making. He added that the Global South should have equal participation in shaping future technologies and their governing rules. Modi called for bridging the gap between decisions and outcomes through partnership and collective action, and urged that the New Delhi Declaration be translated into tangible results.
