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BRICS members have called for restraint amid escalating tensions in West Asia, while stressing the need to keep global trade, supply chains and energy supplies flowing smoothly.
The position was set out in a joint declaration unanimously adopted at the two-day BRICS Summit, which began in New Delhi on Saturday.
The declaration expressed concern over the worsening tensions in West Asia and urged all parties to avoid attacks on civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
BRICS (which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) also reiterated its position on Palestine, rejecting any forced displacement of Palestinians or attempts to alter the geography or demographics of occupied territories.
The bloc called for an end to violence in Gaza, continued support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and full United Nations membership for Palestine.
The summit, hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was attended by several key leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Beyond regional security, the declaration also addressed efforts to expand non-Western cross-border payment systems, cooperation in artificial intelligence and opposition to unilateral sanctions and tariffs that the bloc said undermine international trade.
Xi, making his first visit to India in seven years, said the conflict in West Asia had caused immense suffering to people in the region and benefited no one in the international community.
In separate talks on Friday, Modi met Putin and Pezeshkian, with discussions including freedom of navigation and the safety of crew members in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite reaching common ground on several key issues, BRICS continues to face challenges in aligning the positions of its members, which have differing interests, particularly over the West Asia conflict and global trade policies.
Originally established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as an economic platform for emerging economies, BRICS has since expanded to include several other countries as it seeks to strengthen the influence of the Global South on the world stage. - September 13, 2026
