NEW DELHI—BRICS leaders issued a joint declaration Saturday calling for “maximum restraint” in the Middle East and warning that further escalation could deepen disruptions to global trade, energy supplies, and supply chains.

The declaration was adopted on the first day of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting leaders and representatives of the expanded group on Sept. 12-13.

The statement is an attempt to find common ground in a bloc where members hold sharply differing views on the conflicts with Iran, Israel, and the United States.

BRICS voiced “deep concern” over the ongoing escalation of tensions in the Middle East and called on countries to avoid steps that could further worsen the situation. It also underlined the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including nuclear facilities.

The declaration reiterated the bloc’s opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians and to any changes in the geography or demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory.

It also called for an end to the violence in Gaza, continued support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and full membership in the UN for Palestine.

The statement also addressed economic issues, including concerns over unilateral tariffs and other trade measures. BRICS members also expressed their support for enhancing cooperation on cross-border payments, artificial intelligence, and other areas of economic and technological cooperation.

A tough test for BRICS

The consensus comes after divisions emerged at a BRICS foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi in May when ministers failed to issue a joint statement due to differences over the Middle East conflict.

The complication was particularly acute at the summit, as Iran is a BRICS member, while the United Arab Emirates, another member, has close security ties with the United States.

On the sidelines of the summit, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held a high-level meeting that underscored the summit’s diplomatic importance. According to the fact that the two countries supported the joint declaration, it was interpreted as a sign of diplomatic progress, regardless of whether they hold different positions.

Modi is joined at the summit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other leaders. This is Xi’s first visit to India in seven years as New Delhi and Beijing try to improve ties after years of tensions.

The conflict in the Middle East had caused serious losses across the region and did not serve the interests of the international community, Xi said, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.

Also attending are South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva did not attend, so Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira represented him in the UAE: Sheikh Khalid

Trade and financial frictions

The summit also addressed the Middle East.

BRICS members have criticized unilateral tariffs and other trade restrictions, saying they may interfere with international commerce and supply chains. The issue has gained attention as the United States has implemented tariffs and sanctions against certain BRICS members.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly singled out BRICS and threatened more tariffs on countries backing policies he sees as hostile to US interests.

The group also aims to broaden the use of local currencies and alternative payment mechanisms in international trade, though building a broader BRICS financial infrastructure is still ongoing.

A broader and more diverse cohort

BRICS originally began as BRIC, with Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Formally constituted as a grouping in 2006, it held its first leaders’ summit in 2009. South Africa joined in 2011, and the bloc has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

India will take over the chair of BRICS in 2026, marking two decades since the group formed. Official Indian data shows that BRICS has 11 member states.

The expansion has increased the bloc’s economic and geopolitical weight, but it has also made consensus harder to reach. Membership means that each member state has a different relationship with the United States, Europe, China, and Russia, and that they have conflicting interests in regional conflicts.

The New Delhi declaration is therefore important not because it resolves those differences but because, despite them, the members were able to come to a common position.

The summit continues on Sunday with leaders expected to discuss economic cooperation, global governance, technology, energy security, and other international issues.