BRICS summit opens in New Delhi with wars, tariffs and institutional reform on the agenda

Leaders convene in New Delhi

The 18th BRICS summit has opened in New Delhi with leaders confronting wars, trade barriers and pressure to reshape global institutions. India is using its presidency to argue that multilateral bodies should better reflect the economic weight and priorities of developing countries. The gathering brings together an expanded bloc whose members share an interest in greater influence but differ sharply over security alignments, trade policy and relations with the West.

The summit follows preparatory meetings and a series of leader arrivals reported by Euronews. Al Jazeera’s opening-day account places the wars involving Ukraine and Iran, tariff disputes and global economic strains at the centre of discussions. Those subjects are connected: conflict has disrupted shipping, energy markets and access to food and fertiliser, while trade restrictions are testing whether BRICS can turn political declarations into coordinated economic policy.

The UN joins the discussion

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres travelled to New Delhi for the summit and met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UN said they discussed India’s BRICS priorities, reform of multilateral institutions, conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the resulting economic effects. Guterres also reiterated freedom of navigation, a particularly consequential principle while maritime routes and energy transport face heightened security pressure.

The UN chief is scheduled to address an open session focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation, sustainability and inclusive global growth. His participation gives the summit a direct connection to debates over UN reform and development financing. It also exposes the central tension around BRICS: members want a stronger collective voice, yet their ability to produce common positions is constrained when individual governments are parties to, or aligned differently on, major conflicts.

What would count as an outcome

A final declaration will be judged on more than its language about multipolarity. Governments and markets will look for concrete positions on protecting shipping, stabilising food and fertiliser access, addressing tariffs and expanding development finance. Any agreement on institutional reform will also need a practical route through organisations where BRICS members lack unilateral control. Without implementation mechanisms, broad calls for representation may have limited immediate effect.

The summit is distinct from the leaders’ arrivals and the earlier meeting of BRICS finance officials: the new development is the formal opening of the leaders’ deliberations. Attention now shifts to bilateral meetings, Guterres’s address and the final communiqué. The degree of consensus on Ukraine, Middle East conflicts and freedom of navigation will indicate whether the expanded group can act collectively when its members’ strategic interests diverge.