India Pushes BRICS Toward Deeper Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation

India is seeking to deepen BRICS cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, startups, resilient supply chains and global governance, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the need for practical collaboration among member countries at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The summit, held under India's chairship on September 12-13, adopted the New Delhi Declaration, which outlined priorities including economic cooperation, innovation, sustainable development and greater representation of emerging and developing economies in global governance.

Modi has emphasised the importance of building greater resilience within BRICS in response to challenges such as supply-chain disruptions, pandemics and climate-related disasters. The initiatives announced during India's chairship include a BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework and an integrated early warning system for infectious diseases.

The technology and startup sectors have also emerged as important areas of the bloc's economic agenda.

The New Delhi Declaration welcomed the establishment of the BRICS Incubator Network and further consideration of a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund. It also supported strengthening the BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub and Startup Forum to encourage greater cooperation among entrepreneurs and innovation ecosystems.

The declaration also identified technology and innovation as key drivers of economic and social development. BRICS countries reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in science, technology and innovation, including emerging areas such as quantum technologies, while also supporting deeper engagement among startups and small and medium enterprises.

Digital infrastructure is another area where the grouping is seeking closer cooperation. The declaration noted the potential of secure, inclusive and interoperable digital public infrastructure and proposed a repository to facilitate the sharing of digital public infrastructure experiences among BRICS countries.

India has also placed greater emphasis on the role of the Global South in international decision-making. Modi has called for reforms in global institutions and greater representation for emerging and developing economies.

The New Delhi Declaration similarly reaffirmed the BRICS commitment to reforming global governance and strengthening a more representative and inclusive multilateral system.

For India, the expanded BRICS framework provides a platform for cooperation with emerging economies across trade, investment, technology, innovation and sustainable development. The grouping now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

The focus on startups, digital infrastructure, supply-chain resilience and technology reflects an effort by BRICS members to expand practical economic cooperation alongside their broader political and diplomatic engagement.