BRICS Leaders Stress Economic Weight, Secure Trade at New Delhi Forum

Leaders at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi on Friday emphasized the bloc's expanding economic influence and called for resilient supply chains and secure maritime trade routes. The forum, held a day before the formal opening of the 18th BRICS Summit, brought together heads of state, ministers, and over 2,000 business delegates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country holds the BRICS presidency, stated that the grouping now accounts for about 50% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP, and over 25% of global trade. He noted that while global GDP has grown roughly two-and-a-half times since the bloc's early years, the combined GDP of BRICS nations has expanded nearly four-and-a-half times, indicating the group's economic strength has grown at nearly twice the pace of the rest of the world. Modi stressed that global trade can only progress when sea lanes remain secure, supply routes stay open, and seafarers are safe. He linked this call to ongoing disruptions in maritime trade due to regional conflicts, including those in West Asia and the Black Sea region.