Beyond bloc politics: India’s BRICS bet on multipolarity
Under India’s BRICS chairmanship, the article argues for practical, people-centric cooperation focused on development, technology, health, startups, MSMEs, climate finance, and infrastructure.
Under India’s BRICS chairmanship, the article argues for practical, people-centric cooperation focused on development, technology, health, startups, MSMEs, climate finance, and infrastructure.
At the BRICS Bazaar during the 18th BRICS Summit, Bagh print from Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, attracted delegates who observed and participated in block printing using specially carved BRICS-logo wooden blocks.
Foreign affairs expert Manas Behera said the 18th BRICS Summit under India’s presidency highlights BRICS as a platform for a multipolar world order, with agenda items including expansion, de-dollarization, climate, AI, peace and security.
BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration at their summit, calling for comprehensive UN reform, greater Security Council representation for developing countries, and stronger participation of women in peace and security processes.
At the BRICS 2026 Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and fellow BRICS leaders planted a banyan tree, presented as a symbol of the grouping’s roots, expansion and shared future.
Key moments from the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, including leaders’ interactions, the banyan tree ceremony, bilateral engagements, the BRICS Bazaar, and the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration.
The 2026 BRICS New Delhi Summit has renewed attention to the Russia-India-China axis, with BRICS serving as a broader multilateral framework to manage bilateral frictions and expand cooperation.
BRICS leaders endorsed deeper cooperation on taxation and customs, including new working groups, a customs agreement, and joint enforcement initiatives under India’s chairship.
BRICS countries reaffirmed their commitment to prevent and combat corruption through the New Delhi Declaration, welcoming new mechanisms on asset recovery, fugitive offender tracing, and law enforcement cooperation.