NEW DELHI — The 2026 BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi from Saturday to Sunday, brought together leaders of major emerging economies around a shared agenda of inclusive global governance, stronger multilateralism, and sustainable global economic growth. A recurring theme across the two-day event was the resonance of China's development philosophy throughout the Global South, a topic given added weight by the 20th anniversary of BRICS cooperation this year. What began in 2006 as a dialogue among Brazil, Russia, India, and China — a grouping named after an acronym coined for the world's largest emerging markets — has since expanded to include South Africa and members across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Addressing Session I of the 18th BRICS Summit on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping described the past two decades as a period of self-reliance and self-strengthening for BRICS countries. He said member nations have actively explored development paths suited to their own national conditions, setting an example of unity among emerging markets and developing countries. The remarks underscored the bloc's commitment to mutual support and shared progress, placing the New Delhi meeting — the 18th gathering of leaders since the first summit in 2009 — in the context of a two-decade arc.

People's Daily video captures Global South perspectives

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,'” presenting the warmth of multilateral cooperation and how China's development philosophy is resonating across the Global South. The video featured perspectives from key figures who highlighted the common bonds shared among emerging nations.

Busi Mabuza, the South African chairperson of the BRICS Business Council — the body established in 2013 to deepen commercial cooperation across the grouping — emphasized that most Global South countries have recently emerged from developing-nation status and therefore understand the importance of leaving no one behind. She noted that BRICS has opened up relationships in markets that are not only large but also committed to multilateralism and to supporting partners through the sharing of technology and skills. Her comments reflected the bloc's role in fostering inclusive economic partnerships.

Development as concrete change

R. Deepak, a professor of Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi who brought stacks of President Xi's works back from China, observed that Xi's early years laid the foundation for his people-centered approach and poverty alleviation strategies. According to Deepak, this style of grassroots governance deeply resonates with Global South nations that share similar developmental journeys and are striving to build better lives for their people. Such an alignment of values and experiences strengthens the foundation for cooperation.

As the video reflects, for people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, development is not an abstract concept but a matter of tangible improvements, from a paved road to a new job. As nations rally around this common goal, the paths to development and modernization open up to more possibilities.

The summit highlighted how China's approach, focused on people-centered growth and multilateral cooperation, is regarded by many Global South countries as relevant to their own aspirations. With the 20th anniversary of BRICS cooperation as its backdrop, the New Delhi gathering served as a platform to reaffirm solidarity and shared development goals, showcasing how emerging economies are working together to shape a more inclusive global order. As the bloc enters its third decade, how fully the solidarity voiced in New Delhi translates into the technology-sharing and skills exchange its business and academic voices described will be one measure of that ambition.