18th BRICS Summit: New Delhi Declaration

International Relations

Context

The 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by India in New Delhi recently, adopted the New Delhi Declaration, reaffirming reformed multilateralism amid wars, protectionism and unilateral actions by major powers.

18th BRICS Summit – New Delhi Declaration

Host: India, New Delhi; adopted the New Delhi Declaration.
Reformed Multilateralism: Called for a more democratic, representative and effective global order, with the UN at the centre.

UNSC Reform: Supported comprehensive reform and greater representation of developing countries; China & Russia backed India and Brazil for a greater role.
Global South: BRICS reaffirmed its role as a voice of Emerging Markets & Developing Countries (EMDCs) and LDCs.
Trade & Finance: Opposed unilateral tariffs, non-tariff barriers and coercive sanctions; supported WTO reform and greater EMDC representation in IMF & World Bank.
Intra-BRICS Trade: Focus on local-currency settlements, cross-border payments and resilient supply chains.
Conflicts: Emphasised dialogue, preventive diplomacy and peaceful dispute settlement.
West Asia: Strong position on Palestine and Lebanon; supported humanitarian access, Palestinian self-determination and the two-state solution.
Terrorism: Condemned the 22 April 2025 J&K terror attack and called for zero tolerance towards terrorism and its financing.
Geopolitical Consensus: Despite differences among members, BRICS demonstrated capacity for consensus-building.

Additional Information – BRICS

- Founded in – 2009
- HeadQuarters – Shanghai
- It is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (included in 2010)
- Origin – The term “BRIC” was coined by the British Economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Recent Expansion (BRICS+): In 2024–2025, the bloc expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia. Saudi Arabia has received an invitation but has not yet formalized its membership.

Share of BRICS – BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries, representing 41% of the global population, 24% of the global GDP, and 16% of the global trade (By 2028, BRICS is expected to make up 35 percent of the global economy)
Chairmanship – The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members.

Initiatives of BRICS

GS2/IR

Context

India restarted discussion on the next India-Africa Forum Summit on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

India-Africa Forum

Established: 2008; premier institutional platform for India–Africa cooperation.
Summits: 2008, 2011, 2015; 4th Summit expected in 2026.
Key Areas: Political dialogue, trade & investment, technology transfer, capacity building and people-to-people ties.
Underlying Principles: South–South cooperation, inclusive development, multilateralism & sustainable partnerships.

African Union

Established: 2002; successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
Members: 55 African countries.
Objective: Promote African integration, cooperation, peace, growth and economic development.
Vision: Realise Africa’s potential through greater regional cooperation and integration.

History

News

Vinayak Narahar Bhave

Born: 11 September 1895; regarded as Gandhi’s spiritual successor and a leading advocate of non-violence.
Association with Gandhi: Inspired by Gandhi in 1916; joined his constructive programmes—Khadi, village industries, Nai Talim, sanitation etc.
Bhoodan Movement: Launched the land-gift movement to encourage voluntary redistribution of land to the landless.
Geetai: Translated the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi.
Social Philosophy: Non-violence, social equality, voluntary service and rural upliftment.
Vaikom: In 1925, Gandhi entrusted him with work related to temple entry for Harijans at Vaikom, Kerala.
Legacy: Freedom fighter, spiritual leader and social reformer associated with land reforms and Sarvodaya.

Places In News

In News

Iran-aligned Houthi forces took control of Perim Island, also known as Mayun, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Location: Small volcanic island ~3.5 km off Yemen’s western coast.
Strategic Location: Lies near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Geopolitical Importance: Control of the island can provide strategic leverage over shipping through the Red Sea and towards the Suez Canal.
Regional Significance: Its location makes it important amid disruptions to other major global energy-shipping routes.

News

Recently, BRICS nations affirmed the New Development Bank’s vital role in promoting sustainable development, reducing inequality, and supporting emerging economies globally.

New Development Bank (NDB) (Hq: Shanghai, China)

Established: 2015 by BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa).
HQ: Shanghai, China.
Members: 11 — 5 founding + Bangladesh, UAE, Egypt, Algeria, Colombia & Uzbekistan.
Membership: Open to UN members, including borrowing and non-borrowing members (Article 2).
Capital: Initial authorised capital $100 billion; founding members subscribed equally, $10 billion each.
Mandate: Finance infrastructure & sustainable development projects in Emerging Markets & Developing Countries (EMDCs).
Aligns projects with SDGs and the Paris Agreement, focusing on climate-smart, disaster-resilient, technology-driven and socially inclusive development.

GS3/ Defence

Context

The Defence Ministry’s Annual Report 2025–26 has highlighted the operational role of India’s S-400 air-defence system during Operation Sindoor.

S-400 Triumf

Origin: Russian long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system.
Role: Provides layered air defence against aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs and some ballistic-missile threats.
Interceptors: Different missiles offer ranges of roughly 40, 120, 250 and up to 400 km.
Mobility: Fully mobile system with command centre, radar/tracking systems, launchers and support vehicles.
Key feature: Simultaneous detection and engagement of multiple aerial targets at different ranges.
S-400F: Reported ship-based variant of the S-400 system.