Major diplomatic win for India: BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration with full consensus, condemns terrorism as 'criminal, unjustifiable'

In a major diplomatic victory for India's chairmanship over the BRICS Summit from September 12-13, PM Modi announced on Saturday that the New Delhi Declaration 2026 had been adopted with full consensus.

The adoption of the declaration, which deals with preventing conflicts, resolving disputes peacefully, and approaching global issues from multiple perspectives, had been one of India's key objectives from the summit, which has now been fulfilled.

"The draft of the BRICS New Delhi Declaration 2026 is before us. It encapsulates the essence of our discussions and reflects our perspectives on key global and regional issues. It also outlines priorities for further strengthening BRICS cooperation," PM Modi said in a speech addressing BRICS members, right before the declaration was adopted with zero opposition.

In his opening speech for the first day of the summit at New Delhi's Bharat Mandapam, PM Modi explained that the bloc had come of age, and measures like the New Delhi Declaration were intended to translate the bloc's unity into concrete results on the global stage.

The New Delhi Declaration has also expressed concern over the growing risks of nuclear danger and conflict and condemns the imposition of "unilateral" coercive measures in ways that strain or break international law.

While the "unilateral" measures—that the bloc's members condemned—have been reflected in various paragraphs of the declaration under clauses about carbon border adjustment mechanisms and economic sanctions, there is also a paragraph that zooms in on terrorism.

"We express strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed," the declaration read, citing the Pahalgam attack of 2025, though it did not name any particular countries.

Thus, the adoption of the declaration with full consensus marks India's ability to navigate a crucial juncture in the West Asia crisis—differences in the language of such joint agreements on Iran and the UAE, both of which are Indian allies.

The consensus also comes after PM Modi's bilateral talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, followed by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan—who represents the UAE at the Summit—on Saturday.

The declaration also voiced "serious concerns" about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, which it said "distorts trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules".

"Today’s discussion makes it evident that the changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions; reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness, and rule-making. We also emphasized that the Global South must have equal participation in the development of future technologies and the rules governing them. The gap between decisions and their outcomes must be bridged through partnership and collective action. The New Delhi Declaration adopted today provides a clear direction for our shared resolve. It is now our responsibility to translate these resolutions into tangible results," PM Modi added in his address.