BRICS leaders meet in New Delhi for trade and conflict talks

BRICS leaders are meeting in New Delhi on Saturday for talks on trade, investment and global conflicts. The gathering comes as the group seeks greater influence over the international agenda for emerging and developing countries.

Leaders are expected to discuss energy, food security, technology, supply chains and changes to global institutions alongside economic cooperation. Reducing dependence on the U.S. dollar is also a priority, with members promoting their own currencies for trade and payments and alternatives to Western-dominated financial institutions.

For India, the summit highlights a diplomatic balancing act: maintaining strategic relationships with Russia and Iran while building closer ties with the United States and Europe. New Delhi has sought to expand economic, defense and technology cooperation with Washington and other Western partners.

Whether India can secure a joint statement remains a key test. In May, BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement over the Iran war, leaving India to issue a chair’s summary instead.