BRICS Summit 2026: New Delhi Declaration Adopted Amid Global Tensions

Leaders of the BRICS group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration on the first day of the two-day summit in New Delhi, India, navigating divisions among members over the ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The New Delhi Declaration called for restraint in the Middle East while avoiding explicit condemnation of US-Israeli strikes or Iran's targeting of Gulf countries, and criticized the global trade war without directly naming the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined other leaders of the 11-member bloc in New Delhi during a period of international upheaval marked by the US-Israel war on Iran, tariff policies, and unilateral foreign policy decisions. Al Jazeera’s Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff reported that the group deliberately avoided naming specific countries, even regarding wide-ranging US tariffs, as nations like India, Russia, and China balance complex bilateral trade relationships.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that BRICS has reached a "coming of age" moment, urging the Global South to act as a "rule-shaper" rather than accepting rules dictated elsewhere. Founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS has expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, collectively representing nearly half the world’s population and 40 percent of global GDP.

Addressing the US-Israel war on Iran, the summit expressed deep concern over Middle Eastern escalations and called for maximum restraint. While avoiding explicit mentions of the US, Israel, Iran, or Gulf states, China’s Xi called for a political settlement and a permanent ceasefire. Former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao noted that New Delhi achieved significant diplomatic success by securing a consensus despite sharp differences, highlighting both the value and limitations of BRICS in managing complex geopolitical collisions.

On the Russia-Ukraine war, the declaration issued a generic appeal for dispute resolution through diplomacy and dialogue, while criticizing unilateral sanctions not authorized by the UN Security Council. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that Xi and Modi offered their services for peace talks on Ukraine, a proposition welcomed by Putin.

The bloc took a much firmer stance on Palestine, expressing opposition to forced displacement and attempts to alter the demographics of occupied Palestinian territory. The declaration demanded an end to the war in Gaza, unhindered humanitarian aid, support for UNRWA, and full UN membership for Palestine under a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Finally, the summit addressed trade disruptions, opposing unilateral tariffs and unauthorized sanctions. Putin criticized countries accustomed to "colonial categories" for utilizing economic pressure, while the bloc reiterated its commitment to strengthening multilateralism, multipolarity, and greater representation for developing nations in global governance.