PM Modi, Putin and Xi hold hands at BRICS summit in a powerful show of unity

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two postage stamps on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of BRICS at the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi. The summit, which India hosted under its 2026 chairmanship, focused on building resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. The event saw the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026, which emphasized conflict prevention and peaceful resolution of international disputes through diplomatic means.

The declaration also called for a multilateral approach that respects diverse national viewpoints. Negotiations leading to the joint statement faced challenges, particularly in regards to Iran and Saudi Arabia, but India's diplomatic efforts ensured consensus among the members. Prime Minister Modi proposed preparing ten proposals for global governance reform during the summit, aiming to create a BRICS Reform Roadmap in the next gathering.

The proposed roadmap would focus on representation, responsiveness, and rule-making, with a particular emphasis on reforming the UN Security Council and ensuring equitable participation in shaping global rules, especially in AI, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology, and critical technologies.