Guwahati, September 14: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday hailed the outcomes of the BRICS 2026 Summit, held under India’s chairmanship, as a defining moment for multilateralism shaped by the values of the Global South. In a detailed post on X, the Chief Minister said the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration reaffirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role as a consensus-builder in a deeply polarised world and positioned Assam to leverage several practical initiatives emerging from the summit.

BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation that brings together major emerging economies. Originally formed as BRIC in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, the group later expanded to include South Africa (becoming BRICS) and has since grown further. It now represents roughly half the world’s population and a significant share of global economic output. The grouping focuses on cooperation in areas such as trade, finance, health, climate, technology and development, while advocating a more multipolar world order and greater voice for developing nations in global institutions. India held the rotating chairmanship for the 2026 edition, hosting the leaders’ summit that produced the New Delhi Declaration.

Sarma noted that the Declaration stood out for its unequivocal condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attacks, with all member leaders calling for zero tolerance towards terrorism. Equally significant, he said, was the bloc’s unified stand against illicit drug trafficking and related transnational organised crime. The leaders endorsed coordinated early-warning systems and information-sharing mechanisms that explicitly build on the Guwahati Declaration — an anti-narcotics framework earlier advanced by Assam and recognised at the BRICS level. “This strengthens the fight against a menace that respects no borders,” the Chief Minister observed.

The Declaration also reiterated support for reform of the United Nations Security Council, with India and Brazil positioned as key voices for the Global South. Spanning health, industry, trade, agriculture, culture, anti-corruption, energy, environment and people-to-people ties, the document lays the groundwork for development cooperation across a vast and diverse membership.

Turning to the implications for Assam, Sarma listed several concrete avenues the state is well-placed to utilise:

  • The BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture opens pathways for climate-resilient farming practices suited to Assam’s agro-climatic conditions.
  • BRICS Guidelines for Disaster Management Early Warning Data Integration will strengthen risk assessment and forecasting — a critical need for a flood-prone state.
  • A Workplan on Internationalisation of MSMEs can help small industries under schemes such as CMAAA and MMUA expand through BRICS partnerships.
  • The BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework is expected to benefit the Jogighopa Multi-Modal Logistics Park through improved cross-sector integration.
  • The BRICS Incubator Network offers international support for Assam’s startup ecosystem.
  • Cooperation in the conservation of manuscripts and cultural records will bring global best practices to the state’s heritage archiving and digitisation efforts.
  • The BRICS Compendium of Urban Good Practices provides models for urban development across Assam’s cities and towns.
  • BRICS Guiding Principles on Smart Grids and Energy Storage support the state’s battery storage, pumped storage and green energy projects.

Sarma emphasised that these are among many gains from the summit that Assam is positioned to leverage fully with the continued support of the Prime Minister, for the welfare of its people. He described the overall outcome as a measure of the skill India brought to the chairmanship, preventing the grouping from hardening into a purely oppositional bloc and instead fostering constructive multilateralism.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come at a time when Assam has been actively projecting its anti-narcotics efforts and developmental priorities on national and international platforms. Officials familiar with the state’s engagement indicate that departments concerned with agriculture, disaster management, industry, logistics, culture and energy have been tasked with mapping specific action points arising from the New Delhi Declaration.

image source: X (https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/2099480845560226265)