Press Conference on the Outcomes of the 18th BRICS Summit
A press‑conference held in TASS press center focusing the outcomes of the 18th BRICS Summit, which took place in New Delhi on September 12–13. The event, organized with the participation of the Russian International Affairs Council, brought together experts to discuss the results of India’s chairmanship, cooperation mechanisms among Global South nations, and the evolution of the BRICS agenda with respect to Africa.
Participants in the discussion included: Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia; Igor Makarov, Head of the Department of World Economy, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; Darya Zelenova, Head of the Center for the Study of BRICS-Africa Strategy at the Institute for African Studies (Russian Academy of Sciences); and Roman Prokhorov, expert at the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and Chairman of the Board of the Financial Innovations Association.
The Delhi Declaration marks a significant milestone in the group's development. The bloc is shifting from general principles to practical solutions in key areas.
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The BRICS spirit—grounded in mutual respect, sovereign equality, and consensus—is taking on practical substance in the Delhi Declaration. This marks the group's transition from conceptual frameworks to the operationalization of its agenda, focusing on concrete mechanisms for finance, trade, and technological sovereignty. The focus extends beyond traditional security issues and the reform of global institutions (with the UN at the core) to the practical architecture of cooperation: settlements in national currencies, cross-border payments, and public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms designed to reduce reliance on Western financial structures. At the same time, the humanitarian and social dimensions of the agenda are expanding significantly—covering everything from food and energy security to mental health, traditional medicine, and digital connectivity—reflecting the bloc's commitment to comprehensive, sustainable development and institutional maturity.
Victoria Panova
Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Russian W20 Sherpa
According to Panova, special attention is being paid to conflict prevention by addressing root causes, utilizing political and diplomatic tools for crisis resolution, and expanding cooperation with partner countries based on principles of inclusivity and the continuity of the BRICS chairmanship.
KEY EXPERT FINDINGS:
Civil and socio-humanitarian track
Alongside economic instruments, the Summit agenda has seen a strengthened focus on civil society initiatives. An analysis of these activities reveals that expert recommendations are being actively integrated into the political decision-making process; 84% of the proposed initiatives were incorporated into the final Summit declaration. Among the approved proposals, notable initiatives include measures to counter "green protectionism" by Western nations, the development of principles for the safe governance of artificial intelligence for the benefit of developing countries, and a proposal to establish a Rainforest Fund.
The financial and economic agenda and settlements in national currencies
According to expert estimates, the share of trade conducted in national currencies within BRICS has reached approximately 67%. As Roman Prokhorov, a representative of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, noted, this reflects a transformative shift in the bloc's payment mechanism architecture—specifically, a structural transition toward the direct use of national and digital currencies in bilateral and multilateral transactions. At the summit, particular attention was paid to enhancing the interoperability of banking services and integrating the digital financial platforms of member states.
Reforming global institutions
Reforming global institutions, with the UN playing a central role, remains a key area of BRICS' work. Expert Igor Makarov noted that the grouping's increased activity in recent years is largely driven by the stabilization of Sino-Indian relations and the rise of protectionist barriers (often stemming from US policy); against this backdrop, BRICS consistently emphasizes its commitment to the principles of openness and inclusivity.
The bloc advocates for UN reform to boost the efficiency and legitimacy of its bodies, focusing specifically on ensuring fair representation for African and Latin American nations on the UN Security Council. According to the expert, the goal is not a revolutionary overhaul but a fine-tuning of the system so that it better reflects the modern balance of power and takes into account the interests of developing nations.
The African vector and the geopolitics of resources
Experts highlighted the BRICS-Africa track, emphasizing the growing role of African nations in shaping the bloc's agenda. Darya Zelenova noted that a key issue for new members is aligning the BRICS agenda with the Pan-African "Agenda 2063" and translating political declarations into tangible economic projects. Leaders from South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia addressed this topic at the summit. The issue of rectifying trade imbalances within BRICS was also raised; while intra-bloc trade has surpassed one trillion dollars over the past two decades, its structure remains skewed in favor of the largest economies.
The subject of rare-earth minerals is of particular importance. It was noted that Africa’s mineral resources would form the foundation of a "green future," yet it is crucial to avoid repeating neo-colonial cooperation models—an area where high hopes are placed on BRICS.
In conclusion, experts indicated that BRICS is capable of maintaining unity and consistently progressing from agreed-upon principles to concrete cooperation mechanisms.