India scores BRICS win with joint declaration despite divides

Source: South China Morning Post | Original Published At: 2026-09-15 09:00:06 UTC

Key Points

• The 18th BRICS summit was held in New Delhi, bringing together leaders from the expanded 11-member bloc.
• Leaders addressed international conflicts, trade disputes and economic governance before adopting a unified joint declaration.
• Observers said India achieved pragmatic consolidation by avoiding forcing members to assign blame for contentious geopolitical issues.
• The summit kept the bloc's focus on trade, technology and greater representation for the Global South.
• Analysts noted that differences over the Middle East and other regional conflicts were papered over, meaning compromise came at a cost.