Modi opens BRICS summit, calls for global governance reform

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday, September 12, 2026, calling for sweeping reforms to global governance to give the Global South a greater voice. Speaking at the Bharat Mandapam venue, Modi declared the bloc was not against any nation while pressing for a new and ambitious agenda for the next 20 years. Modi framed the summit as a "coming of age" moment for the 20-year-old grouping, which now includes 11 member countries. He directly addressed perceptions that BRICS is an anti-Western bloc, stating, "We are not against anyone, but we try to take everyone along." He argued that the current global order resembles a "pyramid of privilege" where decision-making power is concentrated among a few nations, leaving developing countries to bear the consequences of crises they have little influence over. He called for transforming this into a "platform of partnership." Central to his address was a proposal for BRICS members to draft 10 recommendations for global governance reform, to be consolidated into a formal roadmap ahead of the next summit. Modi outlined three pillars for this effort: representation, responsiveness, and rulemaking.