BRICS Summit: Big push for Global South to become ‘rule-shaper,’ 10-point reform roadmap – What PM Modi said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a more ambitious BRICS agenda for the next two decades while pitching the grouping as a platform through which the Global South can move from being a passive recipient of global decisions to an active force in shaping them.

Addressing the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Modi said the grouping had reached a moment of “coming of age” after two decades of building its identity on the global stage.

Modi said BRICS must now translate its internal unity and consensus into tangible results internationally. “Now is the time for us to translate our unity and consensus within BRICS into tangible results on the global stage,” Modi said in his opening remarks.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

PM Modi emphasized that the main goal of the BRICS Summit 2026 is to reform global governance, enabling the Global South to become an active rule-shaper rather than a passive recipient of global decisions.

PM Modi compared the current system to a 'pyramid of privilege' to highlight how power and decision-making are concentrated among a few powerful nations, leaving the Global South with limited influence over important decisions.

PM Modi proposed equipping young diplomats and policymakers from Global South countries with negotiation skills and legal expertise, thus empowering them to shape international rules and governance.

PM Modi suggested formulating a 10-point reform roadmap for global governance aimed at increasing representation and responsiveness within international financial institutions and the UN Security Council.

Yes, PM Modi advocated for BRICS cooperation to not only address supply-chain disruptions but also to establish 'development-chain resilience' for long-term economic growth in the Global South.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are among the global leaders attending the summit.

From a ‘pyramid of privilege’ to a ‘platform of partnership’

At the heart of Modi’s address was a call for reform of global governance, which he said remains heavily skewed towards a handful of powerful nations. “Today, the Global South stands in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making,” Modi said.

PM Modi likened the existing global governance system to a “pyramid”, with power and decision-making concentrated at the top, while countries lower down are often left to deal with the consequences of decisions in which they have little say.

Modi proposed turning this “pyramid of privilege” into a “platform of partnership” where every country has a voice and a stake.

India is the BRICS Chair for the 2026 edition. The two-day summit is being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.

To advance this agenda, PM Modi proposed that BRICS jointly formulate 10 proposals for global governance reform, aiming to turn them into a BRICS reform roadmap by the next summit.

UN Security Council reform push

PM Modi placed reform of the United Nations Security Council at the centre of his call for greater representation. He said the issue could “no longer be postponed” and called for negotiations to be tied to a definite timeframe and clear outcomes.

PM Modi also argued that voting power, leadership positions and policy priorities in international financial institutions must better reflect today's economic realities. “Countries that drive global economic growth should also play an appropriate role in shaping global economic governance,” PM Modi said.

Global South must become a ‘rule-shaper’

PM Modi also turned his focus to emerging technologies, warning that the countries of the Global South cannot afford to remain merely consumers of rules created elsewhere.

Artificial intelligence, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology and other critical technologies, he said, will not only create future economic opportunities but also determine the rules governing them.

“We must strive to transform the Global South from a ‘rule-taker’ into a ‘rule-shaper’,” Modi said.

PM Modi proposed using BRICS to equip young diplomats and policymakers from Global South countries with negotiation skills, practical training and legal expertise so they can play a larger role in shaping international rules.

The Global South is a term used in international relations and economics to describe developing, less-developed, or emerging economies, primarily located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania.

A BRICS mechanism to ensure continuity

PM Modi also called for changes within BRICS itself to ensure that the grouping's agenda does not lose momentum as its presidency rotates from one country to another every year. He proposed creating a BRICS continuity and implementation mechanism, with the Troika arrangement playing a greater role in following up on initiatives and summit outcomes.

PM Modi also suggested creating a secure digital repository to track the nodal point, timeframe, and implementation status of every BRICS decision.

The objective, he said, is to ensure that the annual change in presidency does not disrupt institutional momentum.

A support network for seafarers

PM Modi also put forward a specific humanitarian proposal, calling for the creation of a ‘Seafarers' Emergency Support Network’.

The proposed network would connect maritime authorities and diplomatic missions of relevant countries to provide assistance to seafarers facing emergencies.

It could facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, family notifications and evacuations, Modi said.

The proposal comes against the backdrop of the critical role seafarers play in sustaining global trade, yet they often receive limited support during crises.

A new BRICS agenda for the next 20 years

Taken together, Modi's proposals point towards a broader vision for BRICS — one that goes beyond economic cooperation to include global governance, technology, institutional reform and humanitarian coordination.

He framed this agenda around three broad themes: Representation, Responsiveness and Rule-making.

The larger message was that an expanding BRICS should not merely seek a greater share of existing global power structures, but help redesign them.

We must strive to transform the Global South from a 'rule-taker' into a 'rule-shaper.'

The proposed 10-point reform roadmap, continuity mechanism and rule-making initiatives could therefore become key markers of India's BRICS chairship as the grouping looks towards its next two decades.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author

Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.

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