BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration at their summit in New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the consensus document on Saturday. The declaration called for reforms of multilateral institutions, including a 'structural update' of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and strongly condemned terrorism. It also denounced 'unilateral acts of war' and stressed the need to ensure safety of seafarers and commercial navigation amid the ongoing military aggression in the Middle East.

The declaration stated that intra-BRICS trade should increasingly be conducted in local currencies rather than the US dollar. It specifically called for reform of the UN Security Council, with greater representation for developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. China and Russia, the two permanent members of the Security Council represented at the summit, reiterated their support for the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role at the United Nations, including on the Security Council.

PM Modi welcomed world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the summit on Saturday. The gathering brought together leaders from across the BRICS grouping. The declaration comes as BRICS marks two decades since its creation and after the grouping expanded beyond its original membership. BRICS reaffirmed its support for reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and for an open, transparent, equitable and rules-based global trading system.

The declaration expressed serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. It noted that the multilateral trading system has long been at a crossroads, with the proliferation of trade-restrictive actions threatening to further reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and introduce uncertainty into international economic and trade activities. The declaration called for enhanced responsiveness to trade disruptions and the needs and priorities of emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), as well as support for balanced, inclusive and concrete outcomes that strengthen the multilateral trading system.

The Declaration also condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. It expressed strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. The declaration reaffirmed the commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens. It reiterated that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with relevant national and international law.

The declaration's emphasis on dollarisation and WTO reform reflects a broader push by BRICS nations to assert greater influence in global governance structures. However, the exact mechanisms for implementing these reforms and the potential impact on global trade remain unclear.