BRICS adopts New Delhi declaration on trade and Middle East restraint
BRICS leaders meeting in New Delhi have unanimously adopted a joint declaration addressing global trade, energy flows, and rising geopolitical tensions. Despite differing foreign policy priorities and the ongoing Gulf war dividing the group, the expanded bloc called for maximum restraint in the Middle East and discussed non-Western payment systems.
Geopolitics··Evening
Summit and Declaration
Leaders of the expanded BRICS bloc met for a two-day summit in New Delhi, bringing together Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Masoud Pezeshkian, alongside Abdulfettah el-Sisi, Abiy Ahmed, Prabowo Subianto, and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. The group unanimously adopted a joint declaration, succeeding where their foreign ministers had failed to agree on a common statement regarding conflicts in May. Although the adoption of a shared text does not imply that all members share identical interpretations of every conflict, it underscores a collective attempt to navigate differing foreign policy priorities among the members.[1], [2]
Middle East Restraint
The geopolitical landscape, particularly the ongoing war in the Gulf, served as a focal point for the discussions. Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that the conflict in the Middle East and the Gulf does not serve the common interests of the international community. Despite the Gulf war creating divisions within the bloc, the Iranian president and a UAE delegation notably sat at the same table. The final declaration urged maximum restraint in the Middle East, voiced concern over regional tensions, opposed unilateral sanctions lacking United Nations authorization, and called for the protection of nuclear safety during armed conflicts.[1], [2]
Economic Agendas
Beyond security matters, the New Delhi declaration emphasized economic continuity, requesting that global trade, supply chains, and energy flows remain undisrupted. BRICS members voiced their objections to United States tariffs, with several describing them as trade-distorting measures. The summit's agenda also expanded into emerging structural and technological issues, including the development of non-Western cross-border payment systems, artificial intelligence, and climate change.[1]
