17th BRICS Summit 2025

rime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7, 2025. The BRICS Leaders’ Declaration, adopted on July 6, reflected India’s key concerns, particularly on cross-border terrorism and global governance reforms.

Key Highlights of the Summit:

• Productive Discussions: Leaders engaged in discussions on a range of BRICS agenda items, including:
  • Reform of global governance.
  • Enhancing the voice of the Global South.
  • Peace and security.
  • Strengthening multilateralism.
  • Development issues.
  • Artificial Intelligence.
• India’s Stance on Global South: Speaking at the BRICS session on “Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance,” Prime Minister Modi highlighted that the Global South has often faced “double standards.” He called for a greater role for the developing world in international decision-making.
• Summit Organization: The Prime Minister extended his gratitude to the President of Brazil for the warm hospitality and successful organization of the Summit.

About BRICS:

• Formation and Evolution:
  • The acronym BRIC was coined in 2001 by an economist from Goldman Sachs, recognizing the dynamic economic growth of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
  • The first BRICS meeting at the Foreign Ministers’ level took place in 2006 in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
  • The first Summit of Heads of State was held in 2009 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
  • South Africa joined in 2011, adding the “S” to the original acronym.
  • The second expansion was decided at the Johannesburg Summit in 2023, with six new members admitted in 2024-25.
• Current Membership: BRICS is now composed of 11 countries:
  • Original five members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
  • Six new members (admitted in 2024-25): Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran.
• Role: BRICS serves as a political and diplomatic coordination forum for countries from the Global South, facilitating cooperation across diverse areas.