In BRICS New Delhi Declaration, Condemnation Of War, Tariffs

BRICS leaders on Saturday adopted the New Delhi Declaration, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the consensus document at the bloc's summit in New Delhi. 

The declaration called for reforms of multilateral institutions, including a "structural update" of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and strongly condemned terrorism. It also denounced "unilateral acts of war" and stressed the need to ensure safety of seafarers and commercial navigation amid the ongoing military aggression in the Middle East. 

The declaration stated intra-BRICS trade should increasingly be conducted in local currencies rather than the US dollar.

"Today's discussion makes it evident that the changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions; reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness and rule-making," PM Modi said in his concluding remarks. "We also emphasised that the Global South must have equal participation in the development of future technologies and the rules governing them." 

"The New Delhi Declaration adopted today provides a clear direction for our shared resolve. It is now our responsibility to translate these resolutions into tangible results," he added.

PM Modi welcomed world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the summit on Saturday. The gathering brought together leaders from across the BRICS grouping.