KEY POINTS
- BRICS leaders unveiled initiatives on health, logistics, skills, SMEs, transport and energy at the 18th summit.
- India announced an integrated system for responding to infectious disease outbreaks and an emergency data sharing framework.
- China proposed cooperation on artificial intelligence, engineering talent and youth science.
- Leaders called for stronger economic cooperation and greater access to financing across the Global South.
MAIN STORY
BRICS leaders have announced a series of new cooperation initiatives covering health security, artificial intelligence, small businesses, supply chains, energy and human capital at the group’s 18th summit in New Delhi.
The initiatives were presented during an Outreach session attended by BRICS partner countries, including Nigeria, as well as representatives of regional and international organisations.
India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship, identified resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability as the four priorities of its leadership.
Summing up India’s chairmanship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS countries had agreed to establish an integrated system for responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
The group also prepared recommendations for sharing early warning information during emergencies and developed a framework for cooperation in logistics supply chains.
Other initiatives announced during the session include BRICS Connect, which is designed to support skills development, employment, women’s empowerment, workforce development and social protection.
A BRICS cooperation portal for small and medium sized enterprises has also been launched to support smaller businesses.
The group established the BRICS Urban Future Forum to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience on urban transport among member countries.
In the energy sector, a BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage Systems was established as part of efforts to advance sustainable development.
Centres of Excellence in Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture will also seek to combine traditional knowledge with modern scientific research.
BRICS countries further agreed that indigenous knowledge and local community experience should be considered in responding to the effects of climate change.
Modi said initiatives developed within the group should extend beyond BRICS countries and be adapted for developing economies.
Russia also pushed for greater economic cooperation within the bloc, with President Vladimir Putin saying BRICS had become an important force in strengthening multilateralism and advancing a multipolar global order.
Putin said trade among BRICS countries had reached $1.2 trillion, while the group accounted for almost a quarter of global exports.
He said there was still significant room for growth because differences in the structure and specialisation of member economies could support new production chains, technologies, services and markets.
Putin also highlighted the New Development Bank, which he said had financed 123 projects worth almost $40 billion. He argued that additional financing mechanisms were needed to meet investment requirements.
China’s President Xi Jinping proposed five initiatives aimed at expanding practical cooperation, including the creation of a BRICS open access zone for artificial intelligence technologies.
His proposals also covered support for large language models, training programmes, an engineering talent development alliance and a youth science and innovation exchange programme.
Xi said BRICS countries should strengthen production and supply chains, promote innovation and cooperate more closely in developing the digital economy.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said global economic pressures made stronger and more resilient economies necessary.
He called for diversification of growth sources, stronger supply chains, investment in human capital and technology, and wider cooperation among countries of the Global South.
El Sisi also called for greater cooperation in clean energy and improved access to financing and technology for developing countries. He highlighted the New Development Bank’s role in infrastructure financing and concessional lending.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said resilience, cooperation and sustainable development should guide BRICS’ future activities.
He also pointed to Iran’s geographical position and capabilities in energy and transport as potential areas for stronger trade and connectivity among BRICS countries.
The summit, which began in New Delhi on Sept. 12, also saw BRICS leaders adopt the New Delhi Declaration.
THE ISSUES
- The range of initiatives announced at the summit shows that BRICS cooperation is expanding beyond trade and finance into technology, health, transport, skills and energy.
- Access to finance remains a significant issue for developing economies, with leaders calling for additional mechanisms to support infrastructure and other investment needs.
- Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are becoming increasingly important to the group’s economic agenda, particularly in skills development, innovation and workforce preparation.
- Supply chain resilience remains a shared concern, with BRICS seeking greater coordination in logistics, production networks and transport infrastructure.
- The emphasis on making BRICS solutions accessible to the Global South reflects the group’s broader attempt to extend its economic and technological cooperation beyond its membership.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“They should also be accessible and adapted to the needs of countries of the Global South.” – Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
“The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and cooperation. May our diversity remain our distinctive feature, our cooperation a source of inspiration, and our progress serve all humanity.” – Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
“The main untapped reserve is the complementarity of the member countries’ economies.” – Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
WHAT’S NEXT
The initiatives announced at the summit are expected to provide new areas for cooperation among BRICS members and partner countries, while the New Delhi Declaration sets out the broader commitments adopted by the leaders.
BOTTOM LINE
The 18th BRICS Summit has broadened the group’s cooperation agenda across technology, finance, health, energy, transport and human capital. The emphasis on practical initiatives also signals an effort to turn the bloc’s growing economic weight into wider cooperation across the Global South.
