Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Sibal Questions BRICS Unity After New Delhi Summit
BRICS is a group of 11 large developing economies.
Its leaders recently met in New Delhi.
Kapil Sibal said the group contains countries with very different interests.
He argued that China gained the most from the meeting.
He also said India worked hard to help the countries agree on a joint statement.
The statement did not call for a new currency or ending reliance on the dollar.
The countries discussed trade, logistics, startups and infectious diseases.
Sibal said the promises may remain only words unless they are carried out.
Kapil Sibal called BRICS a “motley” grouping unlikely to produce definitive resolutions easily.
Sibal said China benefited most from the recently concluded New Delhi summit.
He said India avoided an alternative currency and de-dollarisation proposals in the declaration.
The summit ended with a joint statement covering logistics, startups and infectious disease control.
Sibal praised the statement but said its real-world implementation remains uncertain.
- Who
- Kapil Sibal and the 11 BRICS member nations.
- What
- BRICS adopted the New Delhi declaration after discussions on global governance, trade and cooperation.
- When
- The summit concluded on Sunday, and Sibal commented on it on Monday.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- The summit sought better global governance and a trading architecture, along with cooperation on logistics, startups and infectious disease control.
Sibal's Critique
Reported Summit Achievements
Value of the grouping
Sibal's Critique
Sibal said BRICS brings together countries with differing interests, making definitive resolutions difficult.
Reported Summit Achievements
The summit produced a joint statement and called for better global governance and a trading architecture.
India's outcome
Sibal's Critique
Sibal said China benefited most and warned that summit declarations can remain only on paper.
Reported Summit Achievements
Sibal also acknowledged that India achieved a joint statement without controversy and avoided references to an alternative currency or de-dollarisation.
Strategic direction
Sibal's Critique
Sibal argued BRICS should not become an anti-Western alliance and said China and Russia wanted that direction.
Reported Summit Achievements
The reported declaration focused on cooperation and did not include an alternative-currency or de-dollarisation proposal.
- Grouping
- BRICS comprises 11 major emerging economies.
- Population share
- The grouping represents around 49.5% of the world's population.
- Economic share
- Its members account for about 40% of global GDP.
- Main outcome
- The summit concluded with the New Delhi declaration and a joint statement.
- Cooperation areas
- Outcomes included logistics supply chains, startups and infectious disease control.
- Sibal's assessment
- He described BRICS as a “motley” grouping and said China benefited most.
- Unresolved question
- Sibal said time would show whether the declaration is implemented on the ground.