BRICS Demands Gaza Truce, Slams Tariffs At New Delhi Foreign Ministers' Meet

At the end of the two-day meeting, BRICS issued a sweeping outcome statement condemning Israeli military operations, unilateral tariffs and cross-border terrorism while pushing back against attempts to undermine the UN system. The Gaza section called for an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire, full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories, the release of hostages and detainees, and sustained humanitarian access, noting differing views among members and reaffirming support for a fully sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, while backing Palestine's UN membership and calling for Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and to respect ceasefire terms with Beirut. On Yemen, the statement supported UN-led peace efforts and navigational freedoms in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait, though one member reserved on certain aspects. In terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir, it condemned the April 22, 2025 attack, reiterated that terrorism should not be tied to any religion or ethnicity, and called for zero tolerance, accountability, end to safe havens and financing, and timely conclusion of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. In economic matters, it criticized unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures and unilateral sanctions, deplored attempts to undermine multilateral institutions by withholding assessed contributions, and noted China’s announced shift away from seeking special and differential treatment in WTO negotiations. The statement urged comprehensive UN Security Council reform for broader Africa, Asia, and Latin America representation, with China and Russia backing expanded roles for India and Brazil. It highlighted leadership on UN Secretary-General selection issues, noting that only one Latin American national has held the post and no woman has yet been elected. It welcomed India’s AI Impact Summit, pledged joint BRICS action on global AI governance, supported Ethiopia hosting COP32, urged developed countries to provide financial and technology support to developing nations, and expressed support for the XVIII BRICS Summit in New Delhi later in 2026, with China set to chair in 2027.

The meeting, hosted by India as the 2026 BRICS chair, brought together the foreign ministers of all ten member states to mark BRICS' 20th anniversary. The outcome statement, which runs to more than 60 paragraphs, covers topics from artificial intelligence and climate finance to outer space governance, setting the stage for a wide-ranging agenda on West Asia, terrorism and the future of global governance.

BRICS foreign ministers condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, in which 26 people were killed. The condemnation reinforces BRICS’ stance that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group, and calls for zero tolerance, accountability for all those involved, an end to safe havens and terrorist financing, and for the early conclusion of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations, a goal India has long championed.