Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday that the trust of Global South nations in BRICS has grown because their voices are heard and their experiences are respected within the organisation.

Modi, who addressed the BRICS leaders’ outreach summit with partner countries and invited guest leaders on the second and final day of the summit, also said that tensions across the world are constantly rising, having a significant negative and far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary people, and India has put special emphasis on enhancing resilience within the BRICS group.

In this context, he announced a slew of initiatives – BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for the prevention of and response to infectious diseases, BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework, BRICS Incubator Network, Startup Innovation Fund, BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal, Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Urban Mobility Hub, and Centres of Excellence for Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture.

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The entire pitch was for developing countries, and those from the Global South and Delhi projected itself as their benefactor and leader.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in attendance, PM Modi said, “I can say from personal experience that the trust of Global South nations in BRICS has grown, because within BRICS, their voices are heard.

Their experiences are respected. And solutions are created with them, not merely for them.”

Framing the global situation, he said, “Tensions across the world are constantly rising, having a significant negative and far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary people.”

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“Pandemics, climate disasters, and supply-chain disruptions have demonstrated that in today’s interconnected world, no crisis remains confined to a single region. That is why we have placed special emphasis on enhancing resilience within the BRICS group. Identifying challenges in time, preparing for them, and taking immediate action are equally essential,” he said.

“Today, this hall brings together diverse continents, cultures, and developmental journeys. This stands as a testament to the growing strength, appeal, and unprecedented trust associated with BRICS… The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and cooperation,” he further said.

India’s priorities

Spelling out India’s priorities in the BRICS summit, PM Modi said, “Under India’s chairmanship, we have focused all our efforts on four pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability. I am pleased that, with your cooperation and support, we have been able to transform our shared vision into win-win collaboration.”

Under the pillar of innovation, he said that the BRICS Incubator Network will connect start-ups and incubators. “We have proposed a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to promote innovative and scalable solutions,” Modi said.

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Underlining that India has advanced the spirit of friendship, partnership, and cooperation through the BRICS platform, Modi said, “We have endeavored to ensure that BRICS cooperation is not limited to governments alone; we want our entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth, and ordinary citizens to become active participants as well.”

The prime minister also said that the BRICS Urban Mobility Hub has been established to facilitate the sharing of best practices among cities.

“In Indian civilization, nature is revered as a mother. For centuries, we have held the belief that development and the environment are not alternatives to each other, but are complementary. Within BRICS, too, we have emphasized the balance between human development and the environment. This forms the foundation of sustainability. It is also our obligation towards future generations. We have made progress in several areas in this direction,” he said.

On energy security, he said, “We have set up the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage. This will help make our clean energy systems more reliable, efficient, and accessible.”

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his statement, pointed out that “the world is currently undergoing profound changes, a phenomenon unseen in a century, with the global South rising collectively and becoming a key driving force for multipolarity. At the same time, the international situation is complex and volatile, with various risks and challenges emerging one after another. To stabilize and improve the world, the BRICS countries must seize the initiative in history, unite with the vast majority of the Global South countries, play a positive, stabilizing, and benevolent role in international affairs, and enhance the common well-being of humanity.”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, foreign ministers from Brazil and Saudi Arabia, leaders or representatives of BRICS partner countries and guest countries, as well as heads of international organizations such as UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the BRICS leaders’ outreach summit on Sunday.