India’s Diplomatic Victory at BRICS : Global Consensus Against Unilateral War

New Delhi : Member nations at the BRICS summit currently being held in New Delhi have agreed upon a joint declaration. This declaration will strongly condemn unilateral war waged by any nation, without explicitly naming any specific country.

A significant diplomatic victory for India has emerged from the BRICS summit. According to sources, a consensus has been reached among member nations against unilateral war. A joint statement reflecting this consensus is scheduled to be released at 4 PM today. The ‘BRICS New Delhi Declaration’ will condemn all forms of aggression without singling out any specific country—a move of great significance given the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The declaration will emphasize that “dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward” to resolve conflicts.

It is a major triumph for Indian diplomacy and the BRICS Sherpas that they succeeded in bringing all member nations to agree on a joint declaration.

BRICS Sherpas had been working tirelessly—day and night—in the lead-up to the summit to build consensus on the joint leaders’ declaration, as there had been differences regarding the wording concerning the situation in West Asia.

The joint statement will condemn all forms of aggression. Issuing a joint statement while keeping all member nations united is a significant achievement in such summits, given that each member nation has its own distinct concerns. Reaching a consensus on halting war amidst these varying concerns is a major feat. Consequently, the unanimity achieved among all member nations at this summit—hosted by India—is being hailed as a significant diplomatic victory. It is worth noting that when the BRICS foreign ministers met in Delhi a few days ago, no joint statement could be issued. However, information regarding the current BRICS summit indicates that a joint statement will be released this evening at 4 PM. Prior to this, India had achieved a major diplomatic victory at the SCO summit as well; during that summit—held in the presence of Pakistan—a decision was taken to condemn all forms of terrorism.

Amid the crisis in West Asia, India succeeded in building consensus among BRICS members. While the joint statement may not explicitly name Iran or Ukraine, it is reported that any form of unilateral aggression will be denounced. The BRICS New Delhi Declaration condemns acts of aggression.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 (Saturday and Sunday). Leaders of BRICS nations, their associates, and special guests will appear together on a single platform at this major event.

Under India’s presidency, the theme for this year’s BRICS summit is Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability. Simply put, the theme embodies the spirit of “Humanity First.”

Alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several prominent global leaders are participating, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the presidents of Iran, South Africa, and Egypt.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)