Archive · 16 Sep 2026
BRICS New Delhi Agenda Puts People And Mobility First
BRICS countries want people to be able to travel between member countries more easily.
Their leaders say cooperation between people is as important as security and business cooperation.
In 2023, many more Indians travelled to BRICS countries than BRICS visitors came to India.
Direct flights between India and China are now returning after a six-year pause.
These flights connect cities such as Guangzhou, New Delhi, Shanghai, Kolkata and Kunming.
Better flights can help tourists, students, families and businesses meet.
The countries also want clearer visa rules and better digital systems.
VFS Global helps governments handle visa applications and paperwork, but governments still decide who receives a visa.
The broader goal is to make travel easier so trade and cooperation can grow.
The BRICS New Delhi Declaration identifies people-to-people cooperation as one of the bloc’s three central pillars.
Nearly 8 million Indians travelled to BRICS countries in 2023, while about 414,000 BRICS visitors came to India.
Direct air services between India and China are gradually resuming after a six-year interruption.
China Southern Airlines has restarted regular flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi, alongside other returning India-China routes.
The summit highlighted air connectivity, digital systems and predictable visa arrangements as foundations for trade and mobility.
- Who
- BRICS member countries, travellers, governments and mobility-service providers including VFS Global are involved.
- What
- The BRICS agenda is emphasizing people-to-people connectivity, including air links, visa systems and digital mobility infrastructure.
- When
- The focus was discussed at the BRICS summit in New Delhi; the article also cites travel figures from 2023 and says India-China flights resumed after six years.
- Where
- The summit was held in New Delhi, with renewed air routes linking India and China, including Guangzhou, New Delhi, Shanghai, Kolkata and Kunming.
- Why
- Improved mobility is intended to support tourism, education, investment, trade and broader cooperation across BRICS.
- BRICS mobility pillar
- People-to-people cooperation is one of the three central pillars in the BRICS New Delhi Declaration.
- Indian travel abroad
- Nearly 8 million Indians travelled to BRICS countries in 2023.
- BRICS travel to India
- Around 414,000 visitors from BRICS nations came to India in 2023.
- India-China flight gap
- Direct air services between India and China were interrupted for six years before gradually resuming.
- China Southern route
- China Southern Airlines restarted regular passenger flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi.
- VFS Global network
- VFS Global serves 71 client governments and operates more than 4,200 application centres across 169 countries.
- Biometric enrolments
- VFS Global says more than 240 million biometric enrolments have been completed since 2007.