BRICS Summit Live: Xi calls for India-China unity to shape multipolar world

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks focusing on normalising bilateral ties through expansion of trade and investment ties.

Welcoming President Xi, Prime Minister Modi thanked China for supporting India’s BRICS chairship and said the meeting provides an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation

During the meeting, President Xi said (translated), “In the face of a complex international landscape marked by intertwined changes and challenges, China and India, as the world’s two most populous countries and important members of the Global South, shoulder significant responsibilities.

“Both sides should keep the future of humanity in mind and the well-being of their peoples at heart, and work together to advance high-quality cooperation within the greater BRICS framework. We should advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive, mutually beneficial form of economic globalisation, injecting more positive energy into the promotion of world peace, stability, development and prosperity.”

At the New Delhi Summit, BRICS leaders underscored the need for stronger energy security through diversified supply sources, resilient infrastructure, and stable markets. While acknowledging that fossil fuels will remain vital for emerging economies, the bloc called for “just, orderly, equitable and inclusive” energy transitions, guided by technological neutrality and differentiated responsibilities.

The declaration emphasized maintaining uninterrupted energy flows, protecting critical infrastructure, and strengthening value chains. It welcomed India’s initiative to establish a Digital Centre of Excellence for smart grids and energy storage, highlighting the role of AI and advanced analytics in improving grid management and renewable integration.

BRICS backed a balanced energy mix including renewables, bioenergy, nuclear, hydropower, hydrogen, and low-carbon technologies. Cooperation on hydrogen standards and certification was encouraged, alongside a joint report on hydrogen value chains.

The bloc also stressed securing critical minerals for clean energy technologies, calling for resilient, fair, and diversified supply chains that benefit resource-rich nations.

Finally, BRICS promoted innovation through start-up cooperation, welcoming incubator networks and considering a Startup Innovation Fund to support advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.

The BRICS Summit’s New Delhi Declaration has handed India a significant diplomatic boost, aligning with its core priorities on security, global governance, and innovation. Three things stand out particularly: 

First, the bloc fully endorsed India’s call for zero‑tolerance towards terrorism, condemning the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir and rejecting “double standards” in countering cross-border terror, financing, and safe havens. The declaration stressed accountability for perpetrators and reaffirmed that terrorism should not be linked to any religion or ethnicity.

Second, in a major win for India’s global ambitions, China and Russia reiterated explicit support for India’s aspiration to play a greater, permanent role in a reformed United Nations Security Council. This backing strengthens India’s push for representation in global decision-making structures.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, hailed the bloc as the most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing nations. He called on BRICS to play its “due role” in bringing peace to West Asia, stressing that the ongoing war has inflicted severe losses and undermines global interests.

According to the Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi pledged China’s cooperation with BRICS members to achieve stability in the Gulf region. He urged the grouping to oppose the “Cold War mentality”, violations of sovereignty, and external interference, positioning BRICS as a defender of fairness in global governance. Xi also emphasized strengthening cooperation in AI initiatives to drive new industrialisation, while calling for BRICS leadership in cyberspace, outer space, and deep sea governance.

Highlighting the Global South, Xi said BRICS should amplify its voice, pioneer innovative development, and boost mutual learning among civilizations. He urged members to steer the international order toward greater justice and equity, building a “community with a shared future for humanity.”

The bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi has begun.

A beaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen holding hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin on his right and Chinese President Xi Jinping on his left on Saturday, capturing what could be one of the most significant moments of the 18th BRICS Summit.

The picture from the Bharat Mandapam where the BRICS leaders attended the summit was posted on social media handles of the prime minister. It was reminiscent of another similar picture of the trio at last year’s SCO summit, which had sent a message across to the US. This one will too, surely.

Modi also posted a few other pictures on his social media handles, including one where the prime minister, Putin, Xi, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were seen walking together inside the venue.