BRICS Summit Consensus Reached, Diplomatic Breakthrough Achieved & West Asia Talks

India has commenced hosting the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, marking the country's fourth chairship of the multilateral grouping. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar arrived at the venue to welcome international leaders. Under the summit's theme of Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability, the event convenes key global figures amidst ongoing global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and escalating tensions in West Asia involving critical trade routes like the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz. Alongside the multilateral agenda, crucial bilateral engagements are scheduled on the sidelines, including talks between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as the presence of West Asian leaders from Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

India is hosting world leaders at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit, positioning itself as a voice for the Global South. With the theme of inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism, the summit opens with closed-door sessions featuring leaders from member nations. High-level discussions focus on global governance, economic resilience, innovation, and counter-terrorism solidarity amid regional tensions in West Asia involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. A massive security grid comprising 25,000 personnel, SWAT teams, snipers, and extensive surveillance has been deployed across the national capital. Crucial bilateral meetings are also scheduled, including an engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with focus on trade, development partnerships, and maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control.

Bilateral discussions between India and Ethiopia focused on expanding cooperation across defence capacity building, investment linkages, critical minerals, clean energy, and healthcare. The dialogue emphasised strengthening India-Africa ties and amplifying the voice of the Global South on international platforms. Discussions highlighted the vulnerability of developing nations to global conflicts and collateral damage. Prior to the formal commencement of the summit at Bharat Mandapam, a series of bilateral meetings were held to address shared economic and geopolitical priorities.

The 18th BRICS Summit has commenced at Bharat Mandapam under India's chairship. The summit's agenda focuses on inclusive global governance, supply chain diversification, and advancing multipolarity while avoiding an anti-West orientation. India is working to build consensus on a New Delhi Declaration that strongly addresses the menace of terrorism as an obstacle to economic cooperation and regional security. On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking their first meeting on Indian soil in nearly seven years. Key talking points for the Modi-Xi dialogue include boundary discussions following the Special Representative talks, as well as addressing the widening bilateral trade deficit between India and China amid two-way trade exceeding 150 billion dollars.