India secured a diplomatic breakthrough at the 18th BRICS Summit by helping the expanded 11-member bloc reach consensus on a joint declaration, balancing geopolitical differences while prioritising trade, technology, global governance reform and a stronger voice for the Global South.
India achieved a significant diplomatic outcome at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi after helping the expanded 11-member grouping overcome differences and adopt a joint declaration. Analysts cited by the South China Morning Post described the development as an example of “pragmatic consolidation”, with New Delhi seeking common ground without forcing members to take unified positions on contentious geopolitical issues.
The summit, held in New Delhi, brought together leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping to discuss international conflicts, trade tensions, economic cooperation and reforms to global governance. Despite differences among members on several geopolitical questions, the bloc ultimately adopted the New Delhi Declaration unanimously. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after a closed-door session that no member had objected to the text.
The consensus was particularly significant because the expansion of BRICS has brought together countries with differing strategic interests and relationships with major global powers. Analysts have noted that the broader membership has increased the group’s influence while simultaneously making agreement on sensitive international issues more difficult.
According to the South China Morning Post, India’s approach during its BRICS chairmanship focused on maintaining areas of common interest, including trade, technology, cross-border payments, global economic governance and greater representation for developing countries. Rather than seeking agreement on every geopolitical dispute, New Delhi worked toward language that could accommodate the positions of different members.
One of the major issues addressed by the summit was the international financial system. The New Delhi Declaration called for further work on improving cross-border payment systems among BRICS members. The bloc’s Payment Task Force was asked to continue examining ways to make payments faster, less expensive, more accessible, efficient, transparent and secure. The declaration also supported greater use of local currencies for trade settlements and investment.
The summit also highlighted India’s emphasis on giving developing countries a stronger role in international decision-making. This approach reflects a longstanding BRICS position favouring reforms to global governance institutions and greater representation for emerging and developing economies.
The challenge of reaching agreement was underscored by earlier divisions within the grouping. In April 2026, BRICS officials had failed to reach a common position on the Middle East conflict amid differences between members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Indian officials subsequently indicated that members had expressed concern over developments while avoiding a common attribution of responsibility.
Analysts quoted by the South China Morning Post said India’s handling of the issue demonstrated an effort to preserve BRICS cooperation despite competing interests. Manoj Kewalramani of the Takshashila Institution said reaching consensus on the declaration was not easy and viewed India’s ability to balance competing interests while securing broad principles as significant.
Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South programme at the Quincy Institute, also pointed to India’s role in overcoming the earlier impasse. He said the approach allowed BRICS members to express concern over geopolitical tensions while avoiding direct blame against individual countries.
The summit also highlighted the differing strategic perspectives of India and China within BRICS. Analysts have described China as viewing the grouping as a platform for strengthening the position of non-Western powers, while India has sought greater representation for developing countries without necessarily positioning BRICS as a direct replacement for existing international institutions.
Despite these differences, India and China have continued to participate in BRICS cooperation. The summit demonstrated the group’s effort to maintain dialogue among countries with diverse foreign-policy priorities while pursuing shared economic and institutional objectives.
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The outcome of the New Delhi summit therefore placed emphasis on consensus-building rather than complete agreement on geopolitical questions. By securing a unified declaration while retaining space for differing national positions, India kept the expanded BRICS framework focused on economic cooperation, technological development, financial reform and the broader representation of the Global South.
