BRICS nations have unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration on the First day of the BRICS Summit 2026, being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed to adopt the declaration at the end of the session on the first day of the summit.
In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister noted that the New Delhi Declaration adopted today provides a clear direction for the shared resolve of the member countries. He added that it is now their shared responsibility to translate these resolutions into tangible results.
The Prime Minister said that today’s discussion makes it evident that the changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions and underlined that reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness, and rule-making. Mr Modi said that the leaders also emphasised that the Global South must have equal participation in the development of future technologies and the rules governing them.
He emphasised that the gap between decisions and their outcomes must be bridged through partnership and collective action. The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude to the leaders for their valuable contributions, constructive spirit and commitment as the BRICS Chair. To mark the 20 years of BRICS, two commemorative postage stamps were also released by the leaders of the member countries on this occasion.
Earlier in his opening remarks on the first day of the session, which was based on inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism, Mr Modi proposed a BRICS Continuity and Implementation Mechanism to ensure that the grouping’s institutional momentum is maintained despite the Chairship changing every year.
In his opening remarks at today’s session of the BRICS Summit 2026, which is underway at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Mr Modi said the mechanism would enable follow-up of all initiatives and outcomes through the Troika. The Prime Minister said BRICS countries will have to work on a new and ambitious agenda for the next 20 years. He said the process must begin with the grouping’s own working system.
The Prime Minister also proposed to establish a Seafarers Emergency Support Network to connect the maritime authorities and diplomatic missions of relevant countries to facilitate assistance during difficult times. Mr Modi observed that seafarers make a massive contribution to global trade, yet they often find themselves lacking support during difficult times.
Mr Modi said the time has come to translate the unity and consensus among BRICS countries into concrete outcomes on the global stage. He stressed that BRICS members respect one another and move forward through consensus. He said the grouping is not working against anyone, but is moving forward with the approach of taking everyone along.
The Prime Minister described this year’s BRICS Summit as a historic milestone, noting that the grouping is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. He said BRICS is at its coming-of-age moment and has established its distinct identity on the global stage over the past two decades.
Mr Modi said India’s Chairship of BRICS is based on a people-centric and humanity-first approach. He said Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability have been India’s foremost priorities as Chair. Guided by these priorities, India has laid special emphasis on connecting BRICS cooperation directly with the common people.
The Prime Minister noted that with this vision, more than 350 meetings were organised, and India had the privilege of welcoming delegations across nearly 30 cities in the country.
In his address, the Prime Minister noted that the Global South stands in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making. He emphasised transforming this ‘pyramid of privilege’ into a ‘platform of partnership’. In this context, the Prime Minister proposed to jointly formulate 10 proposals for global governance reform, aiming to shape them into a BRICS reform roadmap by the time of the next Summit.
On the issue of reform in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Prime Minister emphasised that reform of the UNSC can no longer be postponed and negotiations on this matter must be linked to a definite time frame and clear outcomes. He said, similarly, voting power, leadership positions, and policy priorities within financial institutions must align with today’s economic realities.
He mentioned that countries that drive global economic growth should also play an appropriate role in shaping global economic governance. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the leaders of BRICS Member countries during their arrivals at the Bharat Mandapam for the Summit.
