Deepening Bilateral Ties, Chabahar Port Investments & BRICS Push Against Unilateralism

A political dispute has erupted between the Congress and the BJP over the menu served at the BRICS Summit gala dinner hosted by the Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi questioned the decision to serve an entirely vegetarian spread, stating that eighty percent of Indians eat non-vegetarian food and arguing that the menu did not reflect the dietary diversity of India. In response, the BJP criticised the Congress for focusing on the food rather than the growing influence and success of India at the summit. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the opposition of politicising the menu, adding that visiting global leaders relished the traditional Indian vegetarian dishes served across regional cuisines.

Following the conclusion of the BRICS summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared photographs with his counterparts from Russia, China, and Iran. This followed photographs shared earlier by the Prime Minister alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit highlighted BRICS emerging as a powerful bloc driving the transition towards a multipolar global order. Furthermore, the declaration adopted at the summit underscored India's pivotal position as a voice of the Global South, guiding diverse nations to forge consensus despite differing geopolitical interests.

The 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration by all 11 member nations. Hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit brought together world leaders, including Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The joint declaration called for structural reforms of multilateral institutions like the UNSC, strongly condemned terrorism, and denounced unilateral acts of war. It further urged restraint, de-escalation, and dialogue amid ongoing military aggression in West Asia, following a consensus between Iran and the UAE on the text. PM Modi highlighted the pillars of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, while cautioning against the weaponisation of technology and critical minerals. The BRICS presidency was handed over to China.

In an interview with India Today, former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid shared his analysis of the BRICS summit outcomes and India-China relations. Discussing the New Delhi Declaration, Khurshid noted that while the condemnation of cross-border terrorism represents positive movement, India needs to continue broader diplomatic outreach beyond the multilateral grouping. Reflecting on India's bilateral ties with China and recent high-level engagements, he stressed the need for transparency, stating, "We have to trust each other first, and the trust will come only with sharing of information." Khurshid urged the government to take the opposition into confidence regarding developments on the border issue. Furthermore, addressing the trade imbalance between the two countries, he pointed out that India must formulate concrete domestic plans alongside bilateral talks to reduce the trade deficit effectively.