India's chairmanship of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi has been widely praised by top analysts and seasoned diplomats as a landmark exercise in multilateral diplomacy, demonstrating the country's ability to forge consensus across an increasingly diverse grouping despite a fraught geopolitical and geoeconomic environment. Experts gathered on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 — three days after the summit's conclusion — assessed the outcomes as a significant affirmation of New Delhi's convening power on the world stage.

Roundtable Takes Stock of Summit Outcomes

Distinguished diplomats, policy analysts, academics and strategic community representatives convened at a roundtable organised by the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) in New Delhi, titled 'Post BRICS Summit 2026: Presidency and Lessons for India'. Participants broadly agreed that India's presidency had elevated BRICS's relevance as a platform for Global South cooperation rather than a narrowly geopolitical or anti-West bloc.

A particularly significant outcome, participants noted, was the consensus secured on the 2025 Pahalgam attack, paired with a call for zero tolerance for terrorism and the disruption of terror financing. The summit also broadened BRICS's agenda well beyond de-dollarisation to encompass trade resilience, institutional reform, health, food and energy security, climate, technology, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, women's empowerment, and people-to-people connect.

What the Delhi Declaration Signals

Delivering the keynote address, Shambhu L Hakki, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Economic Relations and G20) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and India's G20 and BRICS Sous-Sherpa, explained that the Delhi Declaration adopted at the summit signalled practical cooperation between developing countries. He highlighted the presence of the African Union, ASEAN, CELAC, GCC and BIMSTEC as broadening representation across the Global South.

Hakki noted that heads of National Standardisation Bodies (NSBs) convened to discuss harmonising standards and reducing trade barriers. He also underscored the Troika Agreement's importance in ensuring institutional continuity across annual presidency rotations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged the 11-member bloc to collaborate on 10 global governance reform proposals in the coming months to build a unified BRICS Reform Roadmap ahead of the next summit in China.

Geopolitical Dynamics and Shifting Perceptions

Seasoned diplomat Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar described the Delhi Declaration as being more about practical cooperation than posturing, stressing that all consensus points must be implemented and not remain on paper. He observed that India steered BRICS toward a collaborative rather than confrontational identity, and noted that the G7 under France's presidency had shown interest in engaging with BRICS on connectivity, global supply chains and finance — a signal that the Global South's weight is being acknowledged even by developed economies.

The roundtable also flagged the participation of the presidents of Russia, China and Iran, as well as a bilateral meeting between the Iranian President and a UAE high-level representative. Notably, some participants voiced the view that the United States had moved, in global perception, from being seen as a liberator to a disruptor and, in one characterisation, a 'rent-seeking landlord' in South Asia — a formulation attributed to roundtable contributors, not official government positions.

De-Dollarisation, AI and BRICS Expansion

Discussions also addressed persistent challenges surrounding de-dollarisation and the absence of a common BRICS currency, with experts stressing the urgency of strengthening cross-border payment mechanisms and the New Development Bank (NDB). China proposed establishing a BRICS open-source artificial intelligence (AI) community, though several members reportedly expressed scepticism about the proposal.

On expansion, participants underlined the need to pay greater attention to interest from South Asian countries. Pakistan's possible inclusion was discussed in terms of the complications it could create for the grouping, while Malaysia was cited for the weight it could add. Sustained economic engagement with partner countries such as Cuba and Bolivia was also called for.

Recommendations and the Road Ahead

The roundtable concluded with concrete recommendations: early implementation of cross-border payment mechanisms, a BRICS grain exchange, and remote-sensing satellite constellations, alongside further strengthening of the NDB. Wealth creation from waste was flagged as another practical cooperation area. Experts cautioned, however, that as with any multilateral process, many of the summit's outcomes are inherently long-term and may take time to materialise. With the next summit set to be held in China, the pressure now shifts to converting Delhi's consensus into verifiable action.