PM Modi Raises Concerns Over Weaponisation of Technology and Critical Minerals at BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi

Key facts

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged concerns over the weaponisation of technology and critical minerals at the outreach session of the two-day BRICS Summit hosted by India in New Delhi, without naming any country, though the remarks appeared aimed at China's export restrictions on rare earths and hi-tech equipment.
• India's BRICS presidency focused on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, under the theme 'Resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability: Shaping the future for inclusive global growth'.
• BRICS members agreed on a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases, Early Warning Data Integration Guidelines for disaster management, and the BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework for reliable supply chains.
• Under the innovation pillar, the BRICS Incubator Network will connect startups and incubators, a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund has been proposed, and the BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will link AI, geospatial technology and digital public infrastructure to farmers' needs.
• India promoted the BRICS Connect initiative, the BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal, and the BRICS Urban Mobility Hub to extend cooperation beyond governments.
• For sustainability, the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence was established for smart grids and clean energy, along with Centres of Excellence for Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture.
• The New Delhi Declaration was adopted on Saturday, and Modi conveyed India's support to China for hosting the next BRICS Summit as the bloc entered its third decade.
• The summit was attended by leaders of 10 BRICS member states and an equal number of partner countries.