The Delhi BRICS summit has produced an unusual diplomatic outcome: a grouping marked by deep geopolitical contradictions has nevertheless spoken with one voice. The unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration is therefore more significant than the document’s length or diplomatic language. It demonstrates that countries divided over Ukraine, West Asia, Iran, Russia and their relationship with the United States can still discover enough common ground to act collectively.

For India, the most important achievement is the declaration’s unequivocal commitment to zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and its condemnation of the April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. At the same time, its criticism of unilateral tariffs and sanctions carries a message for Donald Trump, while the summit has revealed emerging possibilities in India’s equations with China and Russia.

India’s Distinctive Gains

 The Pahalgam reference gives the declaration a clear Indian imprint. By specifically mentioning the attack and calling for action against terror financing, recruitment and safe havens, New Delhi has strengthened its long-standing argument that terrorism must be confronted without political selectivity.

This is particularly significant because BRICS brings together countries with sharply different security interests. Securing consensus on terrorism was consequently not merely a drafting achievement but a demonstration of India's diplomatic ability to build agreement among difficult partners.

The second gain is that India prevented BRICS from becoming an explicitly anti-Western platform. The declaration criticises unilateral tariffs, non-tariff barriers and sanctions, but stops short of turning the grouping into an ideological counter-alliance against the United........

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