The BRICS summit in New Delhi has achieved an important diplomatic breakthrough, with member countries agreeing on a joint declaration despite sharp differences over ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in West Asia.
The agreement is significant because BRICS brings together countries with very different geopolitical interests. Iran and the UAE, for instance, have found themselves on opposing sides of the current regional conflict. Reaching common language therefore required considerable diplomatic negotiation. The agreed declaration, scheduled to be made public at 4 PM today, September 12, is expected to condemn the unilateral imposition of war without naming any particular country.
For India, the agreement reinforces a message Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised, dialogue and diplomacy must remain the way forward in resolving conflicts.
New Delhi has consistently avoided taking a simplistic “either-or” position in major geopolitical confrontations. Instead, India has maintained communication with countries on different sides of conflicts while pushing for de-escalation, respect for sovereignty and protection of civilians and commercial shipping.
Modi reiterated this approach during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward and that India remained ready to assist in peace efforts.
The BRICS consensus is particularly important because the grouping had faced difficulties in reaching a common position on the West Asia conflict earlier this year. Differences between members had previously prevented the foreign ministers from issuing a joint statement, forcing India to issue a chair’s summary instead.
The New Delhi agreement therefore demonstrates that diplomacy can still produce common ground even when countries have fundamentally different positions.
BRICS agenda also includes economic cooperation, trade, financial connectivity, supply chains, technology and reforms of global institutions. India has sought to make BRICS more practical and focused on delivering tangible outcomes rather than becoming merely another forum for political speeches.
For India, getting 11 diverse countries to agree on that message is itself a diplomatic achievement.
