Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged BRICS members to strengthen cooperation as wars, geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and climate-related challenges increasingly affect countries around the world.

Speaking at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Modi said the growing number of conflicts was having a broad impact on ordinary people. He also cautioned that the use of technology and critical minerals as geopolitical tools could obstruct economic development and shared prosperity.

The expanded BRICS grouping now consists of 11 members, bringing together major emerging economies from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. The bloc represents roughly half of the world’s population and has increasingly sought a stronger voice for developing countries in international institutions.

The summit is taking place against a particularly difficult geopolitical backdrop. The conflicts involving Iran and the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and wider tensions between major powers have created divisions among BRICS members, which do not always share the same foreign-policy priorities.

Despite those differences, the group managed to issue a joint statement calling for restraint over the escalating situation in West Asia. Leaders also expressed concern about attacks affecting civilian infrastructure and emphasized the importance of international law, dialogue and diplomacy.

Modi has sought to position BRICS as a platform for cooperation rather than an alliance directed against Western countries. He has argued that the Global South should have a greater role in shaping international rules and institutions.

The Indian leader also highlighted the importance of protecting global maritime trade. India proposed a BRICS network focused on the safety and welfare of seafarers, an issue that has become increasingly important as conflict and insecurity disrupt major shipping routes.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were among the prominent leaders attending the summit. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also participated, giving the gathering additional importance as BRICS members confront competing positions over the Middle East conflict.

Economic cooperation was another major theme. BRICS leaders backed greater use of national currencies in trade, stronger cross-border payment arrangements and closer cooperation in areas including energy, food security, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and climate action.

Modi also warned that disruptions to global supply chains can quickly spread across borders because modern economies are deeply interconnected. He pointed to pandemics, climate disasters and supply-chain shocks as examples of crises that cannot be contained within a single region.

The summit also produced agreement on an integrated early-warning system for infectious diseases, designed to improve cooperation and preparedness for future health emergencies.

For India, the summit represents an opportunity to strengthen its role as a bridge between developing countries and competing geopolitical powers. New Delhi continues to maintain important relationships with Russia and Iran while simultaneously developing its economic, technological and strategic partnerships with the United States and Europe.

The discussions in New Delhi demonstrate both the growing influence and the internal complexity of BRICS. Its members have different political systems, security interests and positions on international conflicts, but they increasingly share an interest in giving emerging economies a greater voice in global decision-making.