BRICS leaders have used their summit in New Delhi to call for restraint in the Middle East, changes to global institutions and greater use of local currencies in trade among member nations. The unanimous New Delhi Declaration, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, brought together concerns over renewed US-Iran strikes, sanctions and trade barriers in a single statement.
The declaration expressed “deep concern” over the war in the Middle East. It urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid steps that could further aggravate the situation.
The summit took place as the US and Iran resumed tit-for-tat strikes against each other after a pause in fighting for much of August. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the meeting alongside the leaders gathered from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The statement also raised concern over “deliberate attacks” on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities operating under United Nations atomic energy safeguards. It was seen as indirect criticism of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The declaration repeated the group’s commitment to resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy. It strongly condemned terrorism and denounced “unilateral acts of war”.
Its language on the Middle East leaves open whether the statement will lead to a diplomatic initiative by BRICS members. The declaration gave no timetable or detail for such action.
Mr Modi presented the document as part of a wider case for institutional change. He said “the changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions; reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness and rule-making”.
The declaration called for a “structural update” of the United Nations Security Council. It said developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean should have greater representation on the council.
China and Russia, the two permanent Security Council members represented at the summit, reiterated their support for Brazil and India’s aspirations to have a greater role at the United Nations, including on the Security Council. The declaration did not set out a route or timetable for reform.
Mr Modi also said “the Global South must have equal participation in the development of future technologies and the rules governing them”. The summit brought the group together amid the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict and rising protectionist trade measures, as BRICS seeks to advance the interests of the Global South and act as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions.
Trade and financial arrangements formed another central part of the statement. BRICS leaders voiced concern over the rise of “unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures” which they said distort trade. They also criticised unilateral sanctions that have not been authorised by the Security Council.
The group reaffirmed its support for reform of the World Trade Organization and for an open trade system. The declaration linked that position to a push for intra-BRICS trade to be conducted increasingly in local currencies rather than the US dollar.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the summit on Saturday. The declaration did not specify how or when greater use of local currencies would be put into effect, or whether it would materially reduce dependence on the dollar.
The New Delhi Declaration therefore records broad agreement among BRICS leaders on the direction of travel, from Middle East diplomacy to institutional reform and trade settlement. The practical steps, and the response from countries outside the group, remain unsettled.
Comments (0)