India Hosts 18th BRICS Summit Resulting in 140 Point New Delhi Declaration

The 18th BRICS Summit concluded on September 13 in India, where heads of state from 11 member nations adopted the 140 point New Delhi Declaration. The summit marked two decades of the group's formulation and served as a test for the effectiveness of an expanded membership that now includes 11 members and 10 partner countries. The New Delhi Declaration explicitly condemned a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 people. It also expressed concern over escalating tensions in West Asia while calling for maximum restraint and reaffirming the UN Charter. On the sidelines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met to discuss stabilizing bilateral ties, focusing on trade, supply chains, and the necessity of peace along their border. To prevent the loss of momentum between presidencies, Prime Minister Modi proposed the BRICS Continuity and Implementation Mechanism, which would involve the outgoing, current, and incoming chairs tracking progress. The summit also advanced the BRICS Economic Partnership 2030 and initiatives regarding development finance and infrastructure. Regarding artificial intelligence, the declaration repeated the 2025 Rio de Janeiro language on intellectual property rights and AI training word for word. However, it added a new recognition of risks regarding the misappropriation of knowledge and cultural values in AI data sets. Additionally, the text shifted from agreeing on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence to committing to implement it. AI was mentioned in 11 paragraphs of the declaration, covering sectors such as health, energy, industry, finance, and the green economy. China was endorsed as the chair for 2027.