The 2026 BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi from Saturday to Sunday, brought together leaders of major emerging economies to promote inclusive global governance, strengthen multilateralism, and foster sustainable global economic growth. The summit marked the 20th anniversary of BRICS cooperation, a milestone that highlights the group's evolution and its growing influence in global affairs.
In his address to Session I of the 18th BRICS Summit on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that over the past two decades, BRICS countries have actively explored development paths suited to their own national conditions, setting an example of self-reliance and unity among emerging markets and developing countries. This emphasis on tailored development strategies and collective self-strengthening is central to understanding the summit's significance.
On the sidelines of the summit, the People's Daily released a video titled "Through Xi's Eyes: Finding the answer to the 'warmth of BRICS,'" which features the warmth of multilateral cooperation and how China's development philosophy resonates across the Global South. The video includes perspectives from key figures such as Busi Mabuza, South African chairperson of the BRICS Business Council, who emphasized that emerging nations share a common bond: "Because most of the Global South countries are recently emerging from developing nation status, they understand the importance of not leaving anybody behind." Mabuza also highlighted that BRICS "has opened up relationships in markets that are not just large, but that believe in multilateralism, that believe in supporting BRICS partners through sharing of technology, through sharing of skills."
The significance of these remarks lies in their implications for global governance. As developing nations seek to reshape international systems to better reflect their interests, China's people-centered approach to development—rooted in President Xi's early years and poverty alleviation strategies—offers a model that resonates with countries facing similar challenges. R. Deepak, professor of Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, observed that such grassroots governance deeply resonates with nations of the Global South that share similar developmental journeys and strive to build a better life for their people. This resonance is not merely rhetorical; it translates into concrete improvements, from paved roads to new jobs, as the video reflects.
For people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, development is not an abstract concept but a tangible reality. The BRICS Summit's focus on inclusive growth and multilateral cooperation thus carries profound implications: it signals a shift toward a more equitable global order where emerging economies can collaborate to address shared challenges. As nations come together for this common goal, the paths to development and modernization open up to more possibilities, potentially altering the trajectory of international relations and economic development for years to come.
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