.jpg)
The 18th BRICS Summit, held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026, ended with all eleven members adopting the New Delhi Declaration by consensus. The document is the most wide-ranging in the bloc's twenty-year history, covering global-governance reform, international conflicts, trade and finance, energy, climate, technology, health, agriculture and labour.
The declaration called for reform of the United Nations and international financial institutions to give greater representation to emerging markets and developing countries. Members pushed for faster implementation of the IMF's 16th General Review of Quotas and pressed for further realignment under the 17th review. The declaration also supported the aspirations of India and Brazil for a greater role in the UN system , a point that carried diplomatic weight given it was backed collectively by the bloc.
On trade, members criticised unilateral tariffs and economic sanctions, warning that protectionist policies could damage global trade and supply chains. The declaration welcomed a BRICS Global Value Chain Action Plan for 2026–2030 and a Logistics Supply-Chain Cooperation Framework.
There was no new BRICS currency. Instead, the grouping backed greater use of national currencies for trade settlements and continued work on making cross-border payment systems more interoperable. The BRICS Payment Task Force will carry on examining ways to make international transactions faster and cheaper. The New Development Bank (NDB), now entering what the declaration called its "second golden decade," was encouraged to expand local-currency financing, diversify its funding sources, and grow its infrastructure project pipeline. Leaders also supported further expansion of NDB membership and launched a BRICS-NDB Knowledge Portal to share policy experience across member countries.
AI governance was formally folded into the BRICS agenda. Leaders committed to implementing the BRICS Leaders' Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, referencing India's AI Impact Summit held in February 2026. Members recognised AI's potential for economic growth while acknowledging risks around safety, security and reliability ,a framing that stops short of hard regulation but signals coordinated intent.
BRICS reaffirmed support for the Paris Agreement and called for more climate finance for developing countries. The declaration stressed stronger early-warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure. On energy, members backed diverse sources and stable markets, while acknowledging that fossil fuels will continue to play a role in emerging economies for the near term , a nod to the reality of energy transitions that do not move at the same pace across all eleven members.
Food security received significant attention. BRICS countries advanced plans for a BRICS Grain Exchange to address food-price volatility, and called for stronger cooperation on supply disruptions and shortages of agricultural inputs. On health, the bloc backed a BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle and a 2026–2029 roadmap. Mental health received specific attention, with plans for a network of Centres of Excellence coordinated by India's NIMHANS.
The declaration called for "maximum restraint" in the Middle East, condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure and nuclear sites, and backed a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Leaders expressed concern over continued violence in Gaza and called for full humanitarian access. The declaration also references South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Both Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi offered to facilitate peace talks on Ukraine, with Vladimir Putin welcoming their readiness.
The declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms and specifically named the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. Members called for zero tolerance and rejected double standards in counter-terrorism, including action against cross-border financing and UN-designated groups , a long-standing foreign policy priority for India that gained collective backing.
On the bilateral front, Prime Minister Modi hosted President Xi for talks focused on stabilising ties through expanded trade and investment , Xi's first visit to India in seven years. China also extended support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council from within the BRICS forum. The two sides agreed that differences should not become disputes.
The commitments most directly relevant to workers sit in the labour section. Members backed BRICS CONNECT, a cooperation network for capacity building, employability, and skills in new technologies, proposed under India's chairship. The declaration noted an initiative to establish an international digital platform for remote employment across BRICS countries which industry voices, including the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, say could open new pathways for Indian technology professionals to access international work without relocating, at a time when visa regimes in traditional destinations are tightening. The declaration also called for expanding social protection for gig and platform workers, improving portability of social-security benefits for migrant workers, and backing mutual recognition of qualifications across member states.
Sources: Prime Minister of India (New Delhi Declaration full text); Wikipedia, 18th BRICS Summit; Forbes India; The National News; Eurasia Review; International News and Views; ClearIAS; NewsX; The News Mill; Opindia; ChartForest; BusinessToday
