BRICS Summit 2026 highlights: PM Modi holds bilateral talks on last day of summit; Oppn, BJP leaders spar over menu

BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE: The photo-op featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BRICS leaders has begun at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on the second day of the summit. The leaders are posing for the customary photograph ahead of the day’s key session on global growth and cooperation.

BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE: BRICS leaders have started arriving at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi for the second day of the summit. The leaders are scheduled to take part in a family photo before the main session on “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” begins at 10:50 am.

BRICS Day 2 LIVE updates: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the BRICS New Delhi Declaration, calling it a reflection of India’s “pragmatic, inclusive and forward-looking leadership”. He highlighted the declaration’s focus on multilateral reform, counter-terrorism, new-age technology, agriculture and animal conservation. Sarma also welcomed its formal recognition of the Guwahati Declaration on cooperation among BRICS anti-drug agencies, calling the reference significant for Assam’s role as a narcotics corridor.

BRICS Day 2 LIVE updates: Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the BRICS gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday. The reason for his absence was not immediately known, though a source said Xi may have returned to his hotel to rest.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with the Russian translation of the Tirukkural, published by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Tirukkural is one of Tamil literature’s most famous classical works, written by the poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Pahalgam terror attack victims’ families have welcomed the unanimous adoption of the BRICS New Delhi Declaration, which strongly condemned the April 22, 2025 attack that killed 26 people and called for zero tolerance towards terrorism.

Aishanya Dwivedi, whose husband Shubham Dwivedi was killed, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising the issue globally and called the BRICS stance a “powerful example”. Her father-in-law Sanjay Dwivedi said the development brought relief but stressed that resolutions alone cannot eradicate terrorism. The declaration also condemned cross-border terrorism, terror financing and safe havens, while rejecting double standards in counterterrorism.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed speculation about the whereabouts of Iran’s supreme leader, saying he was alive and continuing his work. In remarks shared by Iran’s embassy in India, Pezeshkian accused opponents of spreading speculation because they have been unable to locate him.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS leaders unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration despite differences over the West Asia conflict. India helped bridge positions, especially between Iran and the UAE. The declaration called for restraint, protection of civilians, respect for sovereignty, and dialogue and diplomacy, while avoiding direct references to Iran, Israel or the US. It also stressed keeping global trade, energy supplies and supply chains flowing.

The statement backed a Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian access and a two-state solution, condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, and supported India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. It also criticised unilateral tariffs, trade barriers and sanctions. Unlike recent BRICS declarations, it avoided direct references to the Iran and Ukraine conflicts, reflecting the need to accommodate differing positions among the expanded grouping.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: The declaration expressed concern over rising tensions in West Asia but did not directly name Iran, the US or Israel in connection with the conflict.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday despite differences between Iran and the UAE over the West Asia crisis.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS must lead global governance reforms to give the Global South a greater role in decision-making.

He called for replacing the existing “pyramid of privilege” with a “platform of partnership” and proposed a 10-point roadmap covering UN Security Council reform, representation in global financial institutions and rule-making on emerging technologies.

Modi also proposed a Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network and called for a BRICS mechanism to ensure continuity and track implementation of decisions.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: At least five Tibetan nationals were detained by Delhi Police near Pragati Maidan on Friday morning after they allegedly gathered to protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the national capital for the BRICS Summit, police sources told PTI.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a BRICS Seafarers Emergency Support Network at the 18th BRICS Summit to help seafarers in distress. The network would connect maritime authorities and diplomatic missions to provide distress alerts, medical aid, family updates and evacuation support.

The proposal comes after at least 15 Indian seafarers died in conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea over the past nine months. India accounts for 12.16% of the global commercial seafarer workforce, with 311,936 Indian seafarers among 2.57 million worldwide.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday welcomed closer cooperation between India, Russia and China, saying the emerging equation could help ease global tensions. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the effort and expressed hope that India will show the world a path to peace and prosperity.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS endorsed India’s initiative to create an International Big Cats Alliance. It encouraged member countries to cooperate on big-cat conservation.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- the five countries that originally formed the grouping.

Today, BRICS has expanded beyond those five countries. It is a platform for cooperation on trade, investment, finance, global governance, development and other international issues.

India is one of the founding members, and the BRICS Summit is held annually, with member countries taking turns to host it.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: The New Delhi Declaration is BRICS’ 140-point joint statement outlining the bloc’s positions on global governance, conflicts, trade, terrorism, climate, technology and development.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: The document covers sustainable development, renewable energy, climate action, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, health and food security. It highlights cooperation in areas such as space, including the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation and discussions on establishing a BRICS Space Council.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra took a dig at the vegetarian menu served to visiting BRICS leaders, suggesting they skip it and ask security personnel to bring kebabs from Kolkata’s Karim’s.

On X, Moitra wrote, “Would I be a bad MP if I advised the visiting BRICS leaders to give this menu a miss & get security to nip down to the nearest Karims & bring back some Burrab Kababs…”

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS members reportedly showed interest in further discussions on India’s proposal to establish a BRICS Risk Lab at the GIFT City International Financial Services Centre in Gujarat.

The proposed facility would focus on strengthening the reinsurance capacity of member countries.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BJP MP Kiren Rijiju wrote on X, "India is proud to host #BRICS Summit. Along with Union Ministers & Chief Ministers, joined the banquet hosted by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for India's most honored guests with pure Indian hospitality."

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: The declaration strongly condemned the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.

BRICS reiterated its zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, terror financing and safe havens, and called for those responsible and their sponsors to face justice.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS expressed concern over the rise in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, warning that they could distort trade, disrupt supply chains and disproportionately affect developing economies.

The grouping also opposed protectionist measures imposed in the name of environmental objectives.

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: BRICS reaffirmed support for a lasting two-state solution to the ongoing Israeli war on Palestine. The grouping backed Palestine’s full UN membership and called for stronger international support for Palestinian rights.

The declaration said the goal was to create “the vision of two States living side by side, in peace and security.”

BRICS 2026 LIVE updates: The Sunday BRICS programme will begin at 9:55 am with the arrival of leaders of BRICS partner countries and outreach invitees at Bharat Mandapam.

This will be followed by the family photo at 10:35 am. At 10:50 am, leaders will attend the open session on “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth” at the Summit Hall.