Emerging order, difficult unity – The BRICS summit and the limits of multipolarity

Source: In.gr | Original Published At: 2026-09-16 07:00:20 UTC

Key Points

• India hosted the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, where leaders adopted a 45-page, 140-point New Delhi Declaration, described as the bloc's most extensive joint statement.
• The declaration focuses on strengthening the Global South, reforming international institutions such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, and using local currencies in bilateral trade.
• The final text reflected internal disagreements and diplomatic compromises, with the Middle East conflict addressed only through calls for restraint while the war in Ukraine was not mentioned.
• BRICS criticized unilateral coercive measures and punitive tariffs without naming the United States or the European Union, while plans for a common currency were set aside.
• The expanded bloc includes 11 full members and 10 partner countries, but differing positions on the West and on leadership in the Global South make cohesion difficult.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first leaders' meeting in India in seven years, signaling a bilateral rapprochement while structural differences remain.
• Xi presented initiatives for an open-source artificial intelligence zone and a special economic zone within BRICS ahead of China's 2027 presidency, and the declaration recognized China's expansion of zero tariffs for African countries.