BRICS Leaders Condemn Unilateral Tariffs, Acts of War

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrive at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi, India, on 11 September 2026.

BRICS leaders have called for reforms to the global governance system, condemned unilateral tariffs and “acts of war”, and backed greater representation for developing countries at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The positions were outlined in the New Delhi Declaration adopted on Friday at the BRICS Summit in the Indian capital.

The declaration called for a “structural update” of the UNSC, with greater representation for developing countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

China and Russia, the two permanent members of the Security Council represented at the summit, reiterated their support for Brazil and India seeking a greater role at the United Nations, including on the UNSC.

“Today’s discussion makes it evident that the changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions; reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness and rule-making,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his concluding remarks.

He also stressed that the Global South should have an equal role in shaping future technologies and the rules governing them.

The declaration urged BRICS members to increase the use of local currencies in trade among themselves to reduce reliance on the US dollar.

Tariff Concerns

The bloc criticised the growing use of tariffs and other trade restrictions and reaffirmed its support for reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

BRICS said the global trading system should remain open, transparent, equitable and rules-based. It expressed “serious concerns” over unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that it said were inconsistent with WTO rules.

The group warned that such measures could hamper global trade, disrupt supply chains and create uncertainty for international economic activity while worsening existing economic disparities.

BRICS said it would work to make the WTO more responsive to trade disruptions and the needs of emerging markets and developing economies.

Condemnation of Terrorism

The declaration strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to tackling terrorist financing, safe havens and the cross-border movement of terrorists.

“We express strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed,” the declaration said.

BRICS also stressed that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group. It said those involved in terrorist activities, as well as their supporters, should be held accountable under national and international law.

The declaration further denounced “unilateral acts of war” and stressed the importance of protecting seafarers and commercial navigation amid ongoing military aggression in the Middle East.

The summit comes as BRICS marks two decades since its creation and follows the group’s expansion beyond its original membership.