M Chuba Ao
I am starting this article with a reference to a media interview given by Congress leader Salman Khurshid.
"I see no reason why anyone should have any reservations in applauding and accepting the joint statement (Delhi Declaration in BRICS),"Khurhidji has said. Importantly, Khurshid was India's first Muslim foreign minister under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
It may appear unusual for a BJP karyakarta to start an article quoting a Congress leader. But what Khurshidsaid is correct and we need to thank such Congress leaders for being logical in their criticism of the Government.
The geo-strategic experts will now see India as a country belonging to the top group. It is truly in a leadership position. India's nominal GDP stands above $4 trillion, positioning it alongside major global economies like the US, China, Germany and Japan.
India surpassed Japan to rank as the world's fourth-largest economy.
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi was hosted in a much challenging situation. But stewardship is no longer a strange phenomenon for India. In 2023 - we had successfully hosted the G-20 Summit. The key take away from BRICS Summit is that - India is no longer caught up in the regional conflicts of South Asia.
The fact that Chinese president Xi Jinping came personally and was seen shaking hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in joyful mood and occasionally - all three Modi, Xi and Russian president Vladimir Putin -- is no mean achievement. India has reached that critical stage of history when the country has a robust economy and a global influence.
While Russia-Ukraine conflict was not in the discussion subject in Delhi; there is an added responsibility now for the Modi Government as both Russia and Ukraine want India to intervene effectively.
India’s foreign minister and our friend, Dr S Jaishankarji, visited Kyiv this month. Not to be surprised Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he was “grateful to India for its commitment to ending this unjust war”. The fact of the matter is everyone is endorsing PM Narendra Modi's new visionary statement that from the 'endless war'; the world must move to the 'End of War'.
The same logic would apply to the US-Iran war too. This conflict also has left adverse fallout on oil and energy situations globally. The contentious issues were rightly discussed and flagged off in the Delhi Declaration.
Overall, the international situation and India's growing credibility offer a special window of opportunity for New Delhi to prove its position and role as one of the key global players. We must also note that during the last 12 years, PM Modi and his Team have pushed India's global influence both on strategic matters as well as on the soft power front.
PM Modi has able to develop a new paradigm for India’s foreign policy where India would be not a mere ‘balancer’. India is now a leading nation that seeks a place at the global high table. Under Modi, the country has come up so much. In 2012, when India lasted hosted BRICS Summit under Manmohan Singh Government; everybody in the room was apprehensive whether Indonesia would have to come in BRICS instead of India.
In other words, the BRICS success in Delhi can be easily measured from following facts -- that would include -- condemning the Pahalgamteror attack by Pakistan in 2025.
More so because Pakistan's great friend and savior China too has been a signatory to the document called Delhi Declaration.
Secondly; both Russia and China have pledged to work for entry of India and Brazil into the UN Security Council. This is long overdue but now a crucial step has been taken. Meaningful engagements that would allow the countries to help shape and develop policies that would help the younger generation.
Thirdly, on the sidelines of the Summit - PM Modi held successful bilateral meetings with as many 15 heads of nations and governments. The list includes good meetings with China, Russia and Iran.
Modi also held Iranian president Pezeshkian's hand in a striking moment at the BRICS Business Forum Summit.
The photograph carried multiple messages. It summed up New Delhi's diplomatic approach: India at the centre, engaging Iran and Russia while keeping space for dialogue in the fractured world. Iran's president showed a lovely gesture and while departing also invited Narendra Modi to visit Iran.
India's approach vis-a-vis strategic autonomy was evident in PM Modi’s bilateral meeting with Iranian president Pezeshkian.
Modi called for an end to the hostilities through dialogue and diplomacy. He also stressed that civilians, commercial vessels and seafarers must be protected. In yet another evidence of hard work and display of sincerity, it has now come to light that way back in June itself, PM Modi and Iranian president had discussed about the need for unanimity to ensure a Delhi Declaration.
Of course, the big take away from the Summit is that the BRICS matter to the world now. At the same time, Russia, India and China (RIC) will also matter more significantly as a bloc. Time has come to take things to the next stage.
We may reimagine diplomacy for a stronger India by 2047. This is not really far off -- just 23 years more.
Another key outcome of the BRICS Declaration 2026 is the welcome and a mega push accorded to the proposed establishment of a 'BRICS Expert Working Group on TCIM' under the BRICS Health Track.
This would promote traditional medicine and this aspect can help north eastern states as we have so many herbal plants and the talent to work on these.
Finally, PM Modi’s slogan of positioning India as a “Vishwaguru” was magical. Modi's personal efforts and energetic popularization of foreign policy in India’s public discourse and political debate is something new and unique. Modi has successfully used foreign policy to espouse our long term nationalist cause.
