India’s chairship of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi became a defining diplomatic moment, with Trump’s unilateralism ironically binding BRICS members together and expanding India’s strategic space, Sreemoy Talukdar of FirstPost reported.

The New Delhi Declaration condemned unilateral coercive measures, criticised tariff wars, addressed terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and reinforced India’s moderating role within the Global South.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership at the summit was shaped by the disruptive policies of Donald Trump. His aggressive unilateralism, hyper-transactionalism diplomacy, militarism, bullying of allies, and protectionist tariffs compelled BRICS members to shelve differences and project unity. India’s idea within BRICS was to foster cooperation and limit the impact of unpredictable hegemonic actions.

Western media largely ignored the summit, framing it narrowly as a binary of dethroning or failing to dethrone the US dollar. Yet the real achievement lay in consensus-building among countries with profound internal conflicts. India managed to thrash out a joint statement despite severe bilateral tensions among members, demonstrating the structural effectiveness of BRICS.

The declaration sent a clear message to Washington. Without naming the US, it condemned unilateral coercive measures contrary to international law, stressing their negative implications for development, health, food security, and human rights.

It criticised unilateral tariffs and non-tariff measures inconsistent with WTO rules, directly referencing Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. It demanded restoration of a functioning WTO dispute settlement mechanism, targeting US obstruction of the Appellate Body.

On West Asia, the declaration voiced serious concern over attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards. This amounted to a rebuke of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, framing them as violations of international law. India’s endorsement of such language reflected compromise within consensus diplomacy.

India secured extraordinary gains in return. Paragraph 40 condemned terrorism unequivocally, referencing the April 2025 Jammu and Kashmir attack that killed 26 people.

By situating the attack in Jammu and Kashmir rather than Pahalgam, the text validated India’s sovereign space and forced China to concede in writing that Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. This was a substantial diplomatic achievement.

Beyond geopolitics, the summit advanced frameworks for resilient supply chains and cross-border payment integration. Paragraph 90 highlighted diverse opinions on payment mechanisms. Russia, China, and Iran sought alternatives to Western financial systems, while India preferred bilateral local currency mechanisms. India’s nuanced position reflected its need to remain within the US-led financial ecosystem while retaining options.

India’s moderating role was evident. It resisted creating an anti-West bloc or replacing US dominance with Chinese dominance. Instead, it sought reforms of Bretton Woods Institutions to make them agile, inclusive, and representative. If reforms fail, India’s vision is for BRICS to prepare alternatives.

The summit expanded India’s strategic autonomy. Modi’s ability to embrace both Benjamin Netanyahu and Masoud Pezeshkian symbolised India’s unique position. The image of Modi clasping the Iranian president’s hand became iconic. India used BRICS to engage multiple powers simultaneously, evaluating partnerships strictly on developmental and security needs.

From New Delhi’s standpoint, BRICS functioned as a buffer against global unpredictability. Energy security cooperation and alternative financial routing systems created systemic shock absorbers. India executed this hedging strategy while safeguarding integration with Western markets, capital, and technology. It avoided Cold War-style bloc politics, proving indispensable to both Western and non-Western partners.

India’s demonstrated capacity to manage competing interests validated its leadership in a volatile era. The summit showed India could secure its economic future while championing a cooperative global order.

PM Modi’s interventions also proposed mechanisms like a BRICS Troika for continuity and a Seafarers Emergency Support Network, addressing maritime security amid rising attacks on commercial vessels.

The New Delhi Declaration, adopted unanimously, covered terrorism, trade, governance, health, technology, and sustainable development. India’s chairship ensured BRICS remained inclusive, practical, and people-centric. The summit reinforced India’s role as a consensus-builder, agenda-setter, and rule-shaper for the Global South.

Agencies