MEA Secretary Sudhakar Dalela Briefs on Major Takeaways From India-Led 18th BRICS Summit 2026

India Highlights Outcomes of 18th BRICS Summit

The 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by India in New Delhi, concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, setting out the grouping's priorities on global governance, economic cooperation, security and sustainable development.

Briefing the media, MEA Secretary Sudhakar Dalela highlighted India's efforts to make BRICS more focused on practical cooperation and deliver tangible outcomes for member countries and the wider Global South.

New Delhi Declaration Adopted

One of the major outcomes of the summit was the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration.

The declaration covers a wide range of issues, including international peace and security, trade, climate change, health, technology, terrorism and reform of global institutions. The 45-page document contains 140 paragraphs and reflects negotiations among the expanded BRICS membership.

Dalela's briefing underlined the importance India attached to reaching consensus despite differences among member states.

Focus on Practical Cooperation

India's BRICS chairmanship placed emphasis on moving beyond broad statements towards practical and outcome-oriented cooperation.

The summit backed several initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration in areas such as digital infrastructure, agriculture, health, industrial development and financial cooperation.

The approach is intended to make BRICS more useful to developing countries and strengthen cooperation among emerging economies.

Global South Remains a Major Priority

A key theme of India's BRICS presidency has been strengthening the voice of the Global South.

India has sought to use the grouping as a platform for developing countries to raise concerns about unequal access to finance, technology, trade opportunities and global decision-making institutions.

The summit also discussed the need for greater representation of developing countries in global institutions.

Push for UN and Global Governance Reform

Reform of international institutions remained an important issue during the summit.

BRICS members reiterated their support for a more representative and inclusive global governance system, including reform of the United Nations and its Security Council.

India has consistently argued that institutions created in an earlier geopolitical era need to reflect the realities of the contemporary world.

Terrorism Gets Strong Attention

Terrorism was another major security issue addressed during the summit.

India pushed for strong language against terrorism and stressed the need for international cooperation to combat terrorist networks and financing.

The New Delhi Declaration includes references to terrorism while seeking a coordinated international response to the threat.

West Asia Crisis and Call for Restraint

The ongoing crisis in West Asia was also discussed by BRICS leaders.

The New Delhi Declaration expressed serious concern over escalating violence and called for maximum restraint, dialogue and diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts.

The inclusion of both Iran and the UAE within the expanded BRICS grouping made consensus on West Asia particularly significant.

Palestine Receives Attention

The situation in Palestine was another important component of the declaration.

BRICS members called for humanitarian access and reaffirmed support for a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue, including the country's aspirations for full membership of the United Nations.

The issue reflected the grouping's broader focus on international peace and humanitarian concerns.

Economic Cooperation and Local Currencies

Economic cooperation featured prominently in the summit discussions.

Rather than establishing a common BRICS currency, the grouping focused on improving cross-border payments and encouraging trade and investment settlements in local currencies.

The BRICS Payment Task Force will continue work on interoperability between member countries' payment systems.

New Development Bank and Investment Cooperation

The New Development Bank (NDB) also featured in discussions on strengthening financial cooperation.

BRICS supported expanding local-currency financing through the NDB and welcomed steps towards developing a new investment platform on a phased and consensus-based basis.

These initiatives are intended to improve access to development finance for emerging economies.

Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies were also highlighted as areas for greater cooperation.

BRICS countries emphasised the importance of safe, inclusive and equitable access to AI, particularly for developing countries.

India's emphasis on digital public infrastructure and technology cooperation was reflected in several initiatives backed during the summit.

Agriculture and Climate Resilience

Agriculture was another area where India promoted practical cooperation.

Four agriculture-focused initiatives were introduced covering areas including agroecology, regenerative agriculture and digital agriculture.

The initiatives aim to improve productivity and strengthen the ability of agricultural systems to respond to climate-related challenges.

India's Seafarers' Emergency Support Network

India also proposed a Seafarers' Emergency Support Network aimed at improving assistance and safety for maritime workers.

The proposal is particularly significant for India because the country contributes more than 12% of the world's trained seafarer workforce, according to the Indian Express report.

BRICS Risk Lab Proposed at GIFT City

Another India-backed initiative was the proposal for a BRICS Risk Lab at GIFT City in Gujarat.

The initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation and knowledge-sharing on financial and economic risks among BRICS economies. The proposal received support during the summit.

Health and Industrial Cooperation

The summit also produced initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation in health and industrial development.

These included a BRICS Training Hub Network, mental wellness centres, a Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies and a BRICS-NDB Knowledge Portal.

The initiatives are intended to facilitate knowledge-sharing, skills development and technological cooperation across member countries.

India Seeks Stronger BRICS Engagement

Dalela's briefing highlighted India's effort to give BRICS a more practical and forward-looking agenda.

With the grouping having expanded its membership, India has sought to build consensus among countries with different economic interests and geopolitical positions.

The adoption of the New Delhi Declaration was therefore presented as an important outcome of India's year-long chairmanship.

What the Summit Means for BRICS

The 18th BRICS Summit demonstrated the group's continuing effort to strengthen cooperation among emerging economies while maintaining consensus despite geopolitical differences.

The focus on local-currency payments, development finance, technology, agriculture, health and Global South concerns indicates an attempt to expand BRICS cooperation beyond traditional political discussions.

Conclusion

The India-led 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration and a broad package of initiatives focused on practical cooperation.

MEA Secretary Sudhakar Dalela highlighted the summit's emphasis on the Global South, economic cooperation, terrorism, UN reform, sustainable development and emerging technologies. The outcomes also included initiatives on agriculture, digital infrastructure, financial cooperation, health and maritime safety.

The summit underlined India's effort to strengthen BRICS as a platform for cooperation among emerging economies while navigating major geopolitical and economic challenges.