Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the BRICS Outreach Summit with a strong call for strengthening multilateralism, reforming global institutions and harnessing artificial intelligence for public good. Participating alongside leaders from Latin America, Africa and Asia, he praised the diversity and multipolarity of BRICS as its greatest strength and urged member countries to serve as guides in shaping a more balanced international order.
Modi welcomed Brazil’s focus on international financial reforms during its presidency, and reaffirmed India’s commitment to enhancing the credibility and impact of the BRICS New Development Bank. He urged the bank to adopt demand-driven approaches, ensure long-term financial sustainability and maintain a healthy credit rating to make it an effective instrument in supporting the development aspirations of the Global South.
He said the world now expects BRICS to take on greater responsibility in meeting the hopes of emerging nations. As examples, he highlighted the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform established in India as a valuable tool for knowledge exchange in agri-biotech, climate adaptation and precision farming. Modi proposed extending the benefits of this platform across the Global South. He also suggested creating a BRICS Science and Research Repository, based on initiatives like India’s “One Nation, One Subscription,” to provide open academic access to researchers across member states.
On technology and global resource stability, the Prime Minister underscored the need for secure and reliable supply chains for critical minerals and technologies. He warned against the misuse of such strategic resources for narrow self-interest or geopolitical coercion.
Modi delivered a special intervention on artificial intelligence, describing it as a transformative force that must be governed responsibly. He said India’s approach is guided by the mantra “AI for All,” and outlined the country’s growing use of AI in agriculture, health, education and governance. He called for balanced global norms that support innovation while addressing risks, bias and ethical concerns. He welcomed the release of the “Leaders’ Statement on Global Governance of AI” and announced that India will host the “AI Impact Summit” next year to deepen collaboration on AI governance and development.
Concluding his remarks, Modi said the Global South holds high expectations from BRICS and urged all members to lead by example. Reaffirming India’s commitment to shared progress, he pledged to work shoulder-to-shoulder with all partner countries to build a more equitable and sustainable global system.
