BRICS Summit concludes with push for AI, resilient supply chains, Global South cooperation

New Delhi: The BRICS Summit hosted by India concluded on Sunday with member countries agreeing to strengthen cooperation in technology, supply chains, health, innovation and trade, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned against the "weaponisation" of technology and critical minerals.

In his address at the concluding session, Modi said growing conflicts, pandemics, climate disasters and supply-chain disruptions were increasingly affecting ordinary people. He called for greater cooperation among BRICS nations to build collective resilience and ensure that the benefits of technological and economic progress reach the Global South.

"The weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress," Modi said, stressing the need for inclusive access to technology. His remarks came amid concerns over China's restrictive policies on critical mineral exports.

China, which will host the next BRICS summit, announced a major technology initiative. President Xi Jinping said Beijing would lead the creation of a BRICS open-source AI ecosystem, including cooperation on large language models, specialised AI training and the development of an open AI community.

Xi also called for greater cooperation with emerging markets and the Global South to safeguard supply chains and build an integrated market. He urged BRICS nations to uphold sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a new insurance mechanism and a collaborative grain market initiative among BRICS countries. He also called for a dedicated platform for economic growth within the grouping and the wider Global South.

The summit, held against a backdrop of geopolitical and economic tensions, concluded with a joint declaration after India worked to bridge differences among member countries, including over the West Asia conflict.

Modi said India's BRICS chairship had focused on four pillars — resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. Several initiatives were announced or advanced under these areas, including an integrated early warning system for infectious diseases, logistics supply chain cooperation, a startup innovation fund and a digital agriculture network linking AI, geospatial technology and digital public infrastructure with farmers.

India also promoted initiatives covering MSME cooperation, urban mobility, skills and employability, women's participation in the workforce and social security.

Modi said BRICS had increasingly become an important platform for the Global South because its members' experiences and concerns were being heard and addressed through cooperation rather than imposed solutions.

BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia joined in 2024, while Indonesia became a member in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are among its partner countries.
(PTI inputs)