Building consensus: On the 18th BRICS Summit, the New Delhi Declaration
The 18th BRICS Summit, hosted in New Delhi, concluded with the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration by all member states
The declaration, running to roughly 140 points, was finalised after extended overnight negotiations among member delegations
The summit's theme centred on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, covering priorities in sustainable growth, finance, healthcare, energy, and people-to-people exchanges
The declaration backed expanded roles for India and Brazil at the United Nations and called for reform of international financial institutions, while also addressing regional conflicts and trade practices
BRICS — Origin, Expansion, and Institutional Structure
BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that has evolved from an informal acronym into a formal multilateral institution with its own summit process, bank, and expanding membership.
The New Delhi Declaration is the formal consensus output of this expanded, now eleven-member bloc, reflecting the difficulty of reconciling diverse national interests (India-China rivalry, differing positions on Russia and West Asia) into a single unanimous text.
New Development Bank (NDB)
The New Development Bank is BRICS's flagship financial institution, created as an alternative/supplement to Bretton Woods institutions like the World Bank and IMF for financing infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging economies.
The New Delhi Declaration's call to overhaul the IMF and World Bank continues the reformist agenda that originally motivated the NDB's creation, positioning BRICS as an advocate for a more representative global financial architecture.
UN Security Council Reform and Multipolarity
A recurring BRICS demand, reiterated in the New Delhi Declaration, is reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative of the current global order, particularly by expanding permanent membership.
Key Details
- The UN Security Council's five permanent members (US, UK, France, Russia, China) were fixed under the UN Charter (1945) and hold veto power under Article 27
- India has long sought a permanent seat, backed by groupings such as the G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan)
- The New Delhi Declaration explicitly backed expanded roles for India and Brazil in the UN system, aligning with the G4's long-standing reform demand
- BRICS declarations have consistently invoked the concept of "reformed multilateralism" — restructuring global governance bodies to reflect 21st-century economic and demographic realities rather than the post-World War II order
The Declaration's UNSC reform language is a recurring BRICS talking point given fresh political weight by being issued from New Delhi, the summit host and a leading claimant for permanent membership.
- 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi; New Delhi Declaration adopted unanimously, approximately 140 points
- BRICS founded 2009 (Yekaterinburg); South Africa added 2010; Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE joined 2024; Indonesia joined 2025 — current full membership: 11 countries
- New Development Bank established 2014 (Fortaleza Declaration), headquartered in Shanghai, equal shareholding among founding members
- UN Security Council: 5 permanent members with veto power under Article 27 of the UN Charter (1945)
- Declaration also addressed opposition to unilateral tariffs, secondary sanctions, and non-WTO-compliant carbon border measures