India’s successful hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi has been hailed as a significant diplomatic achievement for the country, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and India’s growing role in shaping discussions among emerging economies.
The BRICS Summit was held at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13 under India’s 2026 chairship. The meeting brought together leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and growing debates over the future of global governance.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, which placed emphasis on strengthening multilateralism, promoting inclusive economic growth and giving developing countries a greater role in international decision-making. The declaration also addressed cooperation in areas including technology, artificial intelligence, energy, food security and global economic governance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the summit to call for reforms in global institutions and argued that countries of the Global South should have a stronger role in shaping international rules rather than remaining primarily rule-takers. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that BRICS initiatives translate into practical and time-bound outcomes.
The summit also highlighted the expanding strategic importance of BRICS. With its enlarged membership, the grouping represents a substantial share of the world’s population and has increasingly become a platform for discussions on trade, finance, technology, energy and international security. Leaders also supported greater use of local currencies and stronger cross-border payment cooperation.
For India, the summit provided an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic balancing capabilities while engaging simultaneously with major powers and emerging economies. The participation of leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin added further geopolitical significance to the New Delhi meeting. Modi and Xi also held talks on the sidelines of the summit, with both sides discussing the need to improve bilateral relations and expand economic and transport links.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also welcomed the conclusion of the summit, describing India’s leadership of BRICS as an important moment for the country and highlighting the broader international attention surrounding India’s role in the grouping.
The successful conclusion of the New Delhi summit is therefore being viewed as an important milestone in India’s growing diplomatic engagement with the Global South. As China takes over the BRICS chairmanship for the next term, India is expected to continue pushing for stronger multilateral cooperation and a more representative international order.