Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, welcoming heads of state and delegates from member nations. Delivering the opening address, PM Modi emphasized that the expanded bloc must act as a global driver for economic resilience, institutional reform, and equitable representation for the Global South amid ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
18th BRICS Summit Bharat Mandapam – PM Modi Champions “BRICS for Global South” in Opening Plenary
Addressing the inaugural plenary, Prime Minister Modi outlined India’s vision under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.” He called for reforming multilateral institutions like the UN Security Council and World Bank to reflect contemporary global realities. He also proposed a unified digital public infrastructure framework to assist developing nations in scaling financial access and healthcare connectivity.
18th BRICS Summit Bharat Mandapam – Deliberations Focus on Local Currency Settlement and Supply Chain Security
The summit’s key working sessions focused on reducing transaction costs in cross-border trade through local currency settlement mechanisms and alternative payment messaging channels. Leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, backed initiatives to deepen intra-BRICS trade without dollar dependency, while stressing the urgent need to protect global energy transit routes and maritime shipping lanes.
18th BRICS Summit Bharat Mandapam – Joint Delhi Declaration to Finalize Roadmap for Economic Integration
Delegates are engaged in final-stage negotiations over the comprehensive “Delhi Declaration,” which will articulate the bloc’s official stance on West Asian security conflicts, climate finance commitments, and emerging artificial intelligence governance. High-level bilateral meetings are continuing on the sidelines as host nation India works to bridge regional divides and establish a unified multipolar roadmap.