NEW DELHI, India, September 12 (ANI) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with BRICS leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Saturday witnessed the Bharat Innovates exhibition at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi during the 18th BRICS Summit.
Visuals from the exhibition showed Modi standing alongside Xi Jinping, Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as the BRICS leaders toured the showcase of Indian innovation and technology.
The visit to Bharat Innovates came as India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13 under its 2026 chairship, guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Earlier, Modi announced the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026 at the summit.
“No member has raised any objection. The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously,” Modi said at the summit.
According to Reuters, the joint declaration stressed the need to engage in conflict prevention efforts, including by addressing their root causes. It reiterated the BRICS nations’ commitment to the peaceful resolution of international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.
The declaration advocated a multilateral approach that respects diverse national viewpoints and positions on crucial global issues. The joint statement voiced serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are inconsistent with World Trade Organization rules.
BRICS countries reached consensus on the joint statement after intensive negotiations that continued until 4 a.m. Saturday. The negotiations saw differences over several contentious issues, with India leading sustained consultations to bridge competing positions and build consensus among members.
The breakthrough assumed significance as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all part of the grouping despite major differences and competing positions on several regional and geopolitical issues.
Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in West Asia, securing consensus among the member countries presented a complex diplomatic challenge.
Modi also launched two postage stamps commemorating 20 years of BRICS at the 18th BRICS Summit in the national capital.
Earlier, addressing the BRICS Summit session on Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening, Modi proposed that BRICS members jointly prepare 10 proposals for global governance reform, which could be developed into a BRICS Reform Roadmap by the next summit.
“The Global South is today in the front row when it comes to facing global crises, but in the back row when it comes to decision-making. We must transform this ‘pyramid of privilege’ into a ‘platform of partnership,’ where every country has a voice, every member has a stake, and human development remains at the heart of every effort,” Modi said.
“With this objective, I propose that we jointly prepare ten proposals for global governance reform, which we can seek to develop into a BRICS Reform Roadmap by the next Summit,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the proposed roadmap should focus on three key aspects — representation, responsiveness and rule-making.
On representation, Modi said reform of the U.N. Security Council “can no longer be delayed” and called for text-based negotiations on the issue to be linked to a definite timeline and clear outcomes.
He also said voting power, leadership positions and policy priorities in financial institutions should reflect today’s economic realities.
“Countries that drive global economic growth should also have an appropriate role in shaping global economic governance,” Modi said.
On responsiveness, the Prime Minister stressed the need to focus on the speed, scale and last-mile impact of collective global responses.
Highlighting the contribution of seafarers to global trade, he proposed considering the creation of a Seafarers Emergency Support Network, which could connect the maritime authorities and missions of concerned countries and facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, information to families and support for evacuation.
On rule-making, Modi said equal participation in shaping future global rules was extremely important.
“AI, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology, and critical technologies are not only creating future opportunities but are also shaping the rules of the future,” he said.
“We must make efforts to transform the Global South from a rule-taker into a rule-shaper,” Modi said, adding that BRICS could provide young diplomats and policymakers from Global South countries with negotiation skills, practical training and legal expertise.
Modi also noted that September 12 is the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, saying that taking such a decision on a day dedicated to the Global South would carry special significance.
“India is ready to take the lead on this issue,” he said.
BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.
The grouping currently comprises 11 countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. (ANI)
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