US-based analyst Michael Kugelman has described India’s hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit as a success, saying the substantive New Delhi Declaration reflects New Delhi’s ability to build consensus among countries with differing views.
Michael Kugelman, a Senior Fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, said the declaration reflects India’s growing convening power and the increasing appeal of the BRICS grouping. The two-day summit, held in New Delhi under India’s chairmanship, concluded on Sunday. BRICS comprises 11 major emerging economies, representing nearly half the world’s population and around 40 per cent of global GDP.
The BRICS countries unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026 on Saturday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping among the leaders attending. The declaration expressed serious concern over unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, saying they distort global trade and violate World Trade Organisation rules.
It also stressed the need for cooperation on terrorism, conflict prevention and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Mr Kugelman said the declaration seeks to boost trade among BRICS nations and strengthen the grouping as an alternative to Western-led economic and financial institutions. He added that the push for greater intra-BRICS trade showed the bloc’s ability to deliver substantive measures for economies facing tariffs and sanctions linked to the Trump administration’s trade policies.
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