Modi hosts 15 bilateral talks as BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration and Xi outlines AI and trade initiatives

59 outlets9h agoImportance 8/10

At the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, leaders adopted a 45‑page New Delhi Declaration and discussed economic cooperation, the China‑India border and Middle‑East tensions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held fifteen bilateral meetings with heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the UN Secretary‑General. President Xi presented proposals for a BRICS AI Open Source Zone, a special economic zone partnership and a China‑hosted service‑trade forum to deepen technology and trade ties among the expanded bloc, which now includes Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Iranian President Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed during the summit, marking the first such dialogue amid regional tensions.

How this was covered

Right-leaning outlets covered this 14h later
Coverage peaked at 7 outlets in a single hour

Why it matters

The summit’s agreements and initiatives could reshape trade, technology and diplomatic relations among a large share of the world’s economies.

How the sides frame it

MODERATE AGREEMENT

Left-leaning coverage stresses diplomatic balancing, internal divisions and the Palestinian/ Iran dimensions of the summit, while centrist and right-leaning outlets foreground consensus-building, practical AI-and-trade cooperation and the bloc’s growing global clout.

LEFT

BRICS is portrayed as a stage for India’s strategic multi-alignment amid deep internal rifts, with particular attention to the Palestinian two-state endorsement, Iran-UAE dialogue and AI projects aimed at the Global South.

CENTER

The summit is depicted as a largely successful consensus-driven gathering that produced a joint declaration, showcased outreach to other regional groups, and highlighted concrete AI, trade and supply-chain initiatives under the ‘Greater BRICS’ agenda.

RIGHT

Coverage frames the summit as a pragmatic platform for economic and technological cooperation, emphasizing AI open-source zones, trade ties, de-escalation calls, and the bloc’s role in representing the Global South.

The left emphasises

India’s diplomatic balancing act and multi-alignment strategy.
Palestinian Foreign Ministry’s welcome of the two-state solution declaration.
Iran-UAE direct talks and the bloc’s internal rivalries over Iran.

The right emphasises

Pragmatic cooperation initiatives such as the BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Framework.
Xi’s push for an open-source AI zone and deeper economic ties.
Calls for de-escalation in the Middle East and reforms of global institutions.

How this story developed

Sep 11 Modi and Putin share a private car ride in Delhi ahead of BRICS summit
Sep 11 The two leaders shared a car ride to the INNOPROM India exhibition after their bilateral talks.
Sep 11 BRICS expanded to eleven member countries.
Sep 12 The 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with India presiding and leaders including Xi Jinping arriving for the meeting.
Sep 12 Modi called for immediate UN Security Council reform and urged the Global South to become a rule‑shaper at the summit's opening.
Sep 12 The two leaders reaffirmed the need for mutual respect, sensitivity and shared interests while discussing border stability and economic cooperation. They highlighted progress in people-to-people contacts and called for expanded cultural, business and mobility links. Both sides also pledged to address trade imbalances, supply-chain challenges and to seek a fair, mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue.
Sep 12 Chinese President Xi Jinping called on BRICS nations at the New Delhi summit to support peace initiatives in the Middle East, saying the war harms the international community.
Sep 12 The two leaders met on the margins of the BRICS Summit. Vietnam is a partner country in the BRICS grouping.
Sep 12 Leaders adopted the Delhi Declaration and Modi proposed a continuity mechanism to implement summit outcomes.
Sep 12 The leaders met bilaterally during the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
Sep 13 Leaders adopted a 140‑point New Delhi Declaration covering security, trade, climate and technology issues.
Sep 13 Day 2 of the summit focused on PM Modi’s four‑pillar BRICS agenda, early‑warning and disaster systems, AI, digital agriculture, supply chains and startups.
Sep 13 President Xi outlined proposals for a BRICS AI Open Source Zone and a China‑hosted service‑trade forum.
Sep 13 Modi paused his closing‑session speech to query Xi’s translator after the Chinese president showed discomfort and skipped the gala dinner.