BRICS New Delhi declaration agreed upon, to condemn war without naming any nation

BRICS leaders are set to approve a joint declaration condemning unilateral wars without naming any country, amid divisions over global conflicts.Flags of the member countries at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of BRICS Summit, in New DelhiThe BRICS group of countries has agreed on a joint declaration that is unlikely to name any country but will condemn unilateral war by any country, four sources told Reuters on Saturday. BRICS leaders are expected to approve the declaration on Saturday at the annual summit in New Delhi.The bloc includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The summit comes as BRICS seeks a bigger role in shaping the global agenda for emerging and developing countries, with trade, investment and global conflicts among the key issues.Representatives of the member nations have worked to bridge the divide between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which are on opposite sides of the Gulf conflict, to produce a consensus declaration.President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday morning for his first visit to India in seven years, as the two Asian giants seek to thaw relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday. Modi and Putin agreed to deepen ties, while Modi and Pezeshkian discussed freedom of navigation and the safety of ship crews. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are also attending the summit. The UAE has sent the crown prince of Abu Dhabi as its representative, while founding member Brazil has sent Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to stand in for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.The heads of the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are also present in India for the summit.BRICS faces test over divisions The leaders are meeting as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with rising US-China tensions, test the bloc's ability to find common ground among countries with competing geopolitical interests.The leaders are expected to discuss economic cooperation, energy, food security, technology, supply chains and reforms to global institutions. Reducing reliance on the US dollar will also remain a priority, with members promoting greater use of their own currencies in trade and payments and pushing for alternatives to Western-dominated financial institutions.China and Russia see BRICS as a way to reduce Western dominance, particularly that of the United States, while strengthening cooperation among emerging and developing economies.Putin, speaking at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi on Friday, said the grouping was not against anyone and that Moscow was open to cooperation with countries around the world. He said Russia was in favour of its interests.Iran has also pushed for mechanisms that could reduce the bloc's reliance on Western financial systems and shield members from economic pressure, as Tehran faces sweeping sanctions and a US blockade. Pezeshkian backed expanding trade in national currencies among BRICS members.For India, the summit highlights its effort to maintain strategic ties with Russia and Iran while deepening relations with the US and Europe. New Delhi has sought to balance its longstanding partnerships with Moscow and Tehran with efforts to expand economic, defence and technology ties with Washington and other Western nations.India has maintained close ties with both Moscow and Tehran despite the war in Ukraine and tensions between Iran and the US, while calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts. Modi met Putin and Pezeshkian separately in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the summit.PM Modi and Xi to hold talks later Saturday, in a meeting that could help consolidate a diplomatic thaw between India and China after border tensions escalated in 2020.A key test for India will be whether it can secure a joint statement from leaders at the summit. The divisions were evident in May, when BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement over the Iran war, forcing India to issue a chair's summary instead.Trade tensions and global institutionsBRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have objected to tariffs and non-tariff measures that they say distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules.The US has levied tariffs on several BRICS members under different pretexts, often conditioning their removal on policy changes by the target country. US President Donald Trump has described the bloc as "anti-American" and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on countries that align with it."As the host, New Delhi has a delicate balancing act," Al Jazeera's Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff said, reporting from New Delhi.New Delhi faces pressing issues including trade, finance, technology, energy security, resilient supply chains and climate change. But as the alliance marks its 20th anniversary, a major test is whether its newly expanded membership can further empower the Global South.BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It has since expanded to 11 members, representing about half the world's population and a significant share of global economic output. The group has increasingly called for greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.The summit is also being held amid fears that the Iran war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, may expand amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels. The bloc's unity is expected to face further pressure as its members navigate differing positions on the conflict and relations with the US.Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed around the summit venue and other parts of New Delhi, with traffic restrictions and diversions in place.Last year's summit saw the bloc issue a joint declaration condemning the 12-day US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran's leadership and nuclear programme. However, a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in May this year ended without a joint statement on the conflict.- EndsPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Sep 12, 2026 13:52 IST