PM Modi welcomes BRICS leaders as summit enters second day in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday welcomed leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping as they arrived at Bharat Mandapam for the second day of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with discussions set to focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainable development.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Ghanaian President John Mahama, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud were among the leaders who arrived at the summit venue.

The leaders of BRICS member countries and outreach nations are scheduled to participate in an open session on Sunday centred on this year's theme, "Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth".

The discussions are expected to cover issues of mutual interest and ways to deepen cooperation across political, economic, financial and other sectors among BRICS members and partner countries.

The second day of the summit comes after BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday, marking an early consensus at the summit hosted by India.

The declaration commended India for hosting the Outreach/BRICS Plus Dialogue and said India's chairship had provided "new impetus" to efforts aimed at strengthening international cooperation and solidarity.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the BRICS spirit of mutual respect, sovereign equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, collaboration and consensus.

The adoption of a joint statement on the first day was described as a major diplomatic breakthrough, particularly against the backdrop of sharply differing geopolitical positions among several participating countries.

The New Delhi Declaration said that, building on two decades of BRICS cooperation, member countries would strengthen collaboration under three broad pillars -- political and security cooperation, economic and financial cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping also reaffirmed its goal of promoting peace, a more representative and equitable international order, a reformed multilateral system, sustainable development and inclusive growth.

The summit has also provided an opportunity for leaders to engage beyond formal negotiations.

On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Modi hosted a gala dinner for BRICS leaders and representatives of participating nations at Bharat Mandapam.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus were among the dignitaries who attended the evening event.

A specially curated vegan dinner showcased India's culinary diversity while reflecting the summit's broader emphasis on sustainability, inclusivity and mindful hospitality.

The evening also featured "Navarasa -- The Universe of Shared Emotions", a cultural performance highlighting India's artistic traditions and the universal nature of human emotions.

The BRICS Symphony, "One Rhythm, Many Cultures", brought together musicians from BRICS member and partner countries in a collaborative performance, adding a cultural dimension to the diplomatic gathering.

The summit continues on Sunday as India seeks to use its BRICS chairship to strengthen cooperation among an increasingly expanded group and advance discussions on a more inclusive global order.