NEW DELHI | BRICS leaders on Saturday adopted the New Delhi Declaration, expressing deep concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East and calling for maximum restraint, dialogue and diplomacy as the United States and Iran resumed hostilities after a pause in fighting.
The declaration was adopted unanimously on the first day of the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi, despite differences among members over the conflict. Iran is a member of the expanded grouping, while the United Arab Emirates, which maintains close security ties with Washington, is also part of the bloc. Reuters reported that the divide had made agreement on a joint statement particularly challenging.
The leaders called for actions that would prevent further escalation and reaffirmed their commitment to resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy. The declaration also stressed the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts.
The statement took a firm position against unilateral sanctions and other coercive economic measures not authorized by the United Nations Security Council. The leaders said such measures undermine international law and the principles of the U.N. Charter. The position comes as Iran faces extensive U.S. sanctions and Russia remains under sweeping Western sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine.
The declaration also raised concerns about unilateral tariffs and non-tariff measures that can distort international trade. For a grouping that has increasingly sought a greater role for emerging economies in global economic governance, the issue reflects BRICS’ broader effort to challenge trade and financial arrangements it considers overly dependent on Western powers.
The Middle East conflict has also raised concerns about nuclear safety. BRICS leaders condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities operating under international safeguards, stressing that nuclear safety and security must be protected during armed conflicts. The language was seen as an indirect criticism of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The agreement was significant because BRICS foreign ministers had failed to reach consensus on a joint statement over the Iran war in May, forcing India, as chair, to issue a chair’s summary instead. The successful adoption of the New Delhi Declaration therefore gave India a diplomatic achievement as host of the summit.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the summit that BRICS was “not against anyone” and argued that the Global South should have a greater role in shaping international rules. He also called for stronger representation of developing countries in global institutions and proposed a BRICS seafarers’ network to help protect maritime workers amid disruptions to shipping caused by the regional conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said BRICS should play a role in promoting peace in the Middle East, while Russian President Vladimir Putin pressed for greater representation for Asia, Africa and Latin America in the U.N. Security Council. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian separately advocated greater use of national currencies in trade among BRICS members as a way of reducing dependence on Western financial systems.
The summit also comes amid a broader effort to strengthen BRICS as a voice for the Global South. The grouping began as BRIC, a term coined in 2001 to describe Brazil, Russia, India and China as major emerging economies. The first leaders’ summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009, while South Africa joined in 2011, adding the “S” to BRICS. The bloc later expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
The expanded grouping now brings together major economies from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America with differing foreign-policy interests. The New Delhi summit therefore represents not only a response to the Middle East crisis but also a test of whether BRICS can maintain consensus while seeking a larger role in global affairs.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
