Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday delivered a strong message on the second day of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, stressing that the grouping must remain a platform where the voices, experiences and aspirations of developing nations are recognised. Addressing the summit at Bharat Mandapam, Modi said India’s BRICS presidency had focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, while underlining the need to convert shared objectives into practical outcomes.
The Prime Minister’s address came with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping among the high-profile leaders attending the summit. His remarks placed particular emphasis on inclusive growth, wider participation and strengthening cooperation among BRICS members and the broader Global South.
Modi Says BRICS Must Deliver Win-Win Cooperation
Modi said India had worked to transform a common BRICS vision into meaningful cooperation during its presidency. He expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved through collective efforts and highlighted the importance of ensuring that cooperation benefits people beyond governments and official institutions.
According to the Prime Minister, entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, young people and ordinary citizens should all have a meaningful role in the BRICS framework. The approach, he indicated, is intended to make the grouping more connected to societies and economies rather than restricting cooperation to government-level engagement.
The emphasis reflects India’s broader effort to position BRICS as a practical mechanism for addressing economic, technological and social challenges facing emerging economies.
“Here, Voices Are Heard,” Modi Says
A key message from Modi’s speech was his assertion that confidence in BRICS among countries of the Global South has increased because their concerns are being recognised.
Modi said the strength of the grouping lies in its ability to listen to different perspectives, respect individual experiences and develop solutions collectively. He described BRICS as a platform where countries do not merely receive solutions but participate in creating them.
He also stressed that the diversity of BRICS should be viewed as a source of strength. According to Modi, member nations may have different economic conditions, political systems and development priorities, but cooperation can help them work towards shared objectives.
The message comes as BRICS continues to expand its role in global economic and political discussions, with its membership now including major emerging and developing economies from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Global South at the Centre of India’s BRICS Vision
Modi made a strong case for inclusive global growth, arguing that initiatives developed within BRICS should not remain limited to the grouping’s member countries.
He said successful solutions and innovations emerging from BRICS should be adaptable and accessible to the wider Global South. The approach seeks to expand the impact of cooperation beyond the immediate membership of the bloc and make BRICS more relevant to developing nations facing similar challenges.
This focus on the Global South has been a prominent element of India’s approach to multilateral diplomacy. During the summit, New Delhi has sought to highlight the need for developing countries to have a stronger voice in global decision-making and international institutions.
The Prime Minister’s remarks also reinforced India’s emphasis on building partnerships based on mutual respect, practical cooperation and shared development rather than narrow national interests.
Four Pillars Drive India’s BRICS Presidency
Modi said India’s BRICS chairship had concentrated its efforts on four key pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
BRICS Day 2: PM Modi To Hold 7 Bilateral Meetings, Boosting India’s Global Influence
These priorities were reflected in the wider agenda of the New Delhi summit, which addressed global governance, economic cooperation, technology, sustainable development and challenges affecting emerging economies.
The official New Delhi Declaration also carries the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting the priorities India placed at the centre of its presidency.
BRICS Seeks Greater Role in Global Affairs
The second day of the summit brought together leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping as the bloc seeks to strengthen its influence in international affairs.
The organisation currently includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its growing membership gives it a broader geographic and economic footprint and reinforces its role as a major forum for emerging and developing economies.
Modi’s address therefore sought to combine India’s BRICS presidency priorities with a wider vision for international cooperation. His call for listening to diverse voices, respecting national experiences and developing solutions collectively underlined New Delhi’s push for a more inclusive multilateral order.
With the summit taking place amid complex geopolitical and economic challenges, India’s message was clear: BRICS should evolve beyond a traditional leaders’ forum and become a stronger platform for cooperation, innovation and inclusive development.
The Prime Minister’s declaration that “voices are heard” captured the central theme of his intervention — that the future of global cooperation must give developing countries a meaningful role not only in discussions, but also in shaping solutions and determining the direction of international development.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates and exclusive coverage.
