World leaders gather in New Delhi for final day of BRICS summit

BRICS leaders met in New Delhi for the summit's concluding day amid visible strains over how to address two ongoing conflicts. Delegations arrived seeking to balance national positions with the bloc's broader agenda, even as disagreements over the wars in Iran and Ukraine undercut efforts at unanimous statements. Organizers emphasized a desire to present a united front, but differing perspectives among member states created friction throughout the talks. Participants nonetheless underscored shared priorities, including amplifying the influence of Global South countries and coordinating on economic and political matters. Those competing views reflect wider geopolitical tensions that BRICS is attempting to navigate: members want to expand their collective weight on the world stage while managing bilateral and regional disputes that complicate cooperation. The split over the two wars illustrated how international crises can limit the group's capacity to issue unified positions. As the summit wrapped up, the bloc aimed to showcase progress on its long-term objectives despite uneven agreement on specific international security issues. Observers noted that the meeting highlighted both BRICS' ambitions to shape a more multipolar world and the practical challenges the group faces when members hold divergent foreign-policy stances.