The 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026 ended with a joint declaration, though it avoided the issues that divide members most. Leaders attending included Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian. BRICS foreign ministers had failed to agree on a joint statement earlier in the year, with Iran and the UAE on opposite sides of the war.
The “New Delhi Declaration” urges “maximum restraint” in the Middle East and condemns attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities without assigning blame. It voices concern over “indiscriminate rising tariffs” and unilateral sanctions without naming the US, which analysts say avoids angering President Trump. Unlike earlier declarations, it doesn’t mention Russia’s war in Ukraine. It reiterates support for a two-state solution.
India has resisted casting BRICS as anti-Western, and Modi said the group is “not against anyone.” He called for a more representative and responsive system with a role for rule-making. Pezeshkian held talks with Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, the highest-level known meeting between Iran and the UAE since the war began, and pressed for deeper economic ties. It was Xi’s first visit to Delhi in seven years. He and Modi agreed to strengthen business and transport links, though Xi stayed less than 24 hours and skipped the gala dinner. Whether the summit produces concrete results is unclear.
Sources: ThePrint, Qatar Tribune.
