BRICS Summit 2026: 'Weaponisation Of Technology, Critical Minerals' To Global South, Key Takeaways From PM Modi’s Remarks

New Delhi: During the 18th BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the group to convert cooperation into tangible outcomes while enhancing their resilience to emerging global challenges. Speaking at Bharat Mandapam, Modi cautioned against the "weaponisation of technology and critical minerals," warning that such tactics could impede collective progress.

He emphasized the importance of inclusive growth, fortified supply chains, and intensified focus on the Global South. "The weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can impede our shared progress. Hence, we have underscored inclusivity in technology adoption," Modi stated, addressing leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Reflecting on India's BRICS presidency, Modi outlined four priority areas: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. He highlighted initiatives such as a BRICS early-warning system for infectious diseases, guidelines for using early-warning data in disaster management, and a BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework.

Modi also announced the BRICS Incubator Network, aimed at connecting startups and incubators across member countries, and the BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to support innovative solutions. Digital agriculture, embracing AI, geospatial technology, and digital public infrastructure, was another key area of focus. Modi stressed that BRICS cooperation should involve not just governments, but also entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, young people, and ordinary citizens.

Initiatives like BRICS Connect, the MSME Cooperation Portal, and the Urban Mobility Hub aimed to enhance skills, employment, market access, and urban cooperation. Sustainability was deemed a crucial development priority, with Modi advocating for the integration of economic growth and environmental protection. Initiatives in smart grids, energy storage, agroecology, and community-based climate adaptation were presented as ways to balance these priorities.

Modi concluded by stating that BRICS should transition from declarations to practical, inclusive solutions, positioning the group as a platform for the Global South to address shared challenges, including technology, critical minerals, climate change, health, and supply-chain security.