Paris, September 13, 2026. Eleven signatures for a single phrase, but each reads it in their own way. The French press is dissecting the joint statement adopted on Saturday in New Delhi by the BRICS leaders, which expresses their "deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East" and urges the parties to "maximum restraint" and protection of civilian populations, according to France 24. No country is named - neither Iran, nor Israel, nor the United States - but the document is decoded as an indirect criticism of the American and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which reopened the conflict at the end of February.

The displayed unanimity masks disjointed national positions, which French articles take care to detail. Beijing and Moscow, engaged in a frontal challenge to American hegemony, continue to trade with Tehran despite repeated threats of sanctions from Donald Trump, reports La Tribune. In contrast, the United Arab Emirates suspended their commercial and financial exchanges with Iran as early as August, after being targeted by Iranian missiles - without preventing President Massoud Pezeshkian and the Emirati Crown Prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyane, from meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the summit.

The visit of Xi Jinping, his first to India since 2019, is also drawing attention: the Chinese leader met with Narendra Modi on Saturday, seven years after a deadly military clash at the disputed Himalayan border. The statement also calls for a reform of global governance, with more representation for developing countries on the UN Security Council, and condemns unilateral customs duties.

In the background, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, which has been ongoing for six months since the start of hostilities and continues to drive up crude oil prices, as well as the lightning offensive of the Houthis on the Yemeni coast, reported by RFI, remind us of the extent of the regional escalation that the New Delhi text attempts to contain.

Moscow, September 13, 2026. In New Delhi, the eleven member countries of the BRICS adopted the New Delhi declaration unanimously on Saturday, September 12, which Russian diplomacy presents as proof that the bloc is establishing itself as an autonomous pole of global governance. Cited by Interfax, the declaration states that the participants are "deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and Western Asia" and call on "all parties to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid further aggravation," without designating any country. The text welcomes the "efforts undertaken through dialogue and diplomacy" and reaffirms support for the principle of "two states for two peoples" as well as the right of Palestinians to self-determination.

Vladimir Putin, present alongside Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping at the BRICS+ session, described the group as "one of the main centers of global governance" and called on international financial institutions to adapt to changing economic realities, reports Sputnik. Xi Jinping announced that China will chair the BRICS in 2027 and host the 19th summit, saying he is ready to contribute to stability in the Middle East and the Gulf.

Dhaka, September 13, 2026. Bangladesh has taken note of a statement from New Delhi that, without naming any country, calls for a broader place for developing nations in the global architecture. The eleven members of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates — unanimously adopted the "New Delhi Declaration" on Saturday, September 12, 2026, which expresses "deep concern" over the escalation in the Middle East and calls for "maximum restraint".

For the press in Dhaka, the essence of the text lies less in its implicit condemnation of war than in its demand for reform of global governance. The document calls for a structural update of the UN Security Council, with increased representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean — a claim that China and Russia, the only permanent members of the Council present at the summit, say they support for Brazil and India. Narendra Modi summed up the ambition in his closing remarks: "the changes in the world cannot be driven by outdated institutions; reforms are essential in terms of representation, responsiveness, and rule-making."

The text also condemns unilateral tariff measures that distort trade, in the context of US sanctions against Tehran and Western sanctions against Moscow, and encourages members to increase the use of their national currencies, to reduce dependence on the dollar. A speaker quoted in the press mentions the need to "transform this pyramid of privileges".

Beijing, September 13, 2026. For Chinese diplomacy, the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi confirms a line defended for years: the reform of global governance in favor of emerging and developing countries. According to CGTN, the official agency, the joint declaration adopted on Saturday reaffirms the leaders' commitment to building an international and multilateral system that is "more just, equitable, agile, effective, representative, and responsible", driven by "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits". The text calls for "greater and more significant participation and representation of emerging markets and developing countries, as well as the least developed countries, in global decision-making processes and structures" — a formula that aims, without naming it, to expand international decision-making bodies, starting with the UN Security Council.

The declaration also denounces, still according to CGTN, attempts "to unilaterally undermine the work of global multilateral institutions and hinder the execution of their respective mandates", including "through deliberate retention of statutory contributions". The leaders express their concern about ongoing conflicts in several regions of the world and the polarization of the international order, without mentioning the Middle East or any specific party by name.

New Delhi, Sunday, September 13, 2026. For the Indian press, the 18th BRICS summit, which opened on Saturday at the Bharat Mandapam, primarily reflects the diplomatic success of its host. The Hindu Business Line notes that New Delhi has achieved "a critical diplomatic balancing act" by obtaining the consensus of the eleven members on a joint statement, despite persistent differences between Tehran and Abu Dhabi on the Middle East. Swarajya specifies that negotiations on the text continued "until the deadline", the two capitals having long maintained their positions before a last-minute agreement allowed the adoption of the "New Delhi Declaration".

The text, which condemns "in the strongest terms" the terrorist attack of April 22, 2025, in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, is presented by Free Press Journal as a personal victory for Narendra Modi: the Prime Minister "ensured that the central issue of terrorism was not forgotten", without Pakistan being named. The declaration rejects any "double standard" in the fight against terrorism and reaffirms China's and Russia's support for India's candidacy to the Security Council.

On global governance, Modi called for an end to the "pyramid of privileges" inherited from current institutions, advocating for a "partnership platform" where the global South would become "rule-maker rather than rule-taker". However, Swarajya nuances: de-dollarization remains "rhetoric", the Working Group on Payments being only tasked with continuing its studies, without a calendar or common mechanism.

Katmandou, 13 September 2026. For the Nepalese press, the BRICS summit in New Delhi is first and foremost a diplomatic engineering victory for the Indian host. The Kathmandu Post recalls that in May, the foreign ministers of the bloc failed to agree on a joint statement, with Tehran and Abu Dhabi's positions on the Middle East war being too far apart. On Saturday, on the first day of the summit, the eleven leaders nonetheless unanimously adopted the "New Delhi Declaration", expressing "deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East" and calling for "maximum restraint", without designating any party.

The text, cited by Online Khabar, emphasizes the protection of civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities: "We express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under the full guarantees of the IAEA, in violation of international law." The group recalls that nuclear safety must be maintained even in times of armed conflict.

The declaration also denounces the proliferation of "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" that distort trade, in a context of American sanctions against Tehran and Moscow. Xi Jinping, opening the proceedings, judged that the war in the Middle East "does not serve the common interests of the international community", according to the Chinese news agency cited by Online Khabar.

Islamabad, September 13, 2026. Eleven countries gathered in New Delhi unanimously adopted a joint statement on the war in the Middle East on Saturday. The text, reported by the Pakistani press via Reuters and Xinhua dispatches, expresses "deep concern over the persistent escalation of tensions in the Middle East/West Asia" and calls on the parties to "exercise maximum restraint, as well as avoid any action that could further aggravate the situation." No country is named.

What Pakistani newspapers Business Recorder, Geo News, and ARY News are focusing on is not so much the diplomatic content of the statement, but the scope given to it by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the opening of the summit: "We must transform this pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership," he said in front of Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, calling for a system "where every country has a voice, where every member has a stake." According to Modi, the BRICS now represent half of the world's population and 40% of the planet's GDP - figures repeated as proof of a shift in the Western-dominated economic order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on his first visit to India in seven years, judged that the war in the Middle East "does not serve the common interests of the international community," according to the state-run CCTV agency. Beijing will take over the rotating presidency of the BRICS next year and will host the 19th summit. The statement also condemns "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" that distort trade, in the context of US sanctions against Tehran and Moscow.

Lisbon, September 13, 2026. In New Delhi, the feat noted by the Portuguese press is not so much the content of the text as the fact that it exists. The New Delhi Declaration was unanimously approved on Saturday, September 12, 2026, by the eleven heads of state of the BRICS, in the main hall of the Bharat Mandapam convention center — a consensus that Lisbon's editorial offices describe as the "main challenge" of the meeting, given the divergent national positions on the war in the Middle East and on Ukraine.

The Jornal Económico highlights that "none of the representatives raised any objections," noting the frictionless presence, around the same table, of Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. For the Portuguese press, this photograph — eleven capitals with contradictory interests signing the same paragraph — constitutes the news, more than the underlying diplomacy.

As for the content, RTP Notícias and SAPO Notícias quote the text: "We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East and, recalling our respective national positions, we call for maximum restraint and to avoid any action that could further aggravate the situation." Comprising 140 points, according to these same sources, the document demands the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states — without mentioning the Strait of Hormuz, the articles specify, while emphasizing the need to maintain "the constant flow of global trade, supply chains, and energy."

Riyadh, September 13, 2026. Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived on Saturday, September 12, in New Delhi "on behalf of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman," the Saudi Gazette specifies, to represent the kingdom at the BRICS summit not as a full member but as a "guest country." The trip falls under the official theme of the summit, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," and aims, according to the Saudi presentation, to "strengthen multilateral cooperation in the face of shared global challenges" rather than to endorse the entire program of the bloc.

It is in this context that Riyadh reads the joint statement adopted on Saturday by the eleven members: a text that expresses "deep concern" over the escalation in the Middle East and calls for "maximum restraint," without naming any country, Asharq Al-Awsat reports, citing AFP. A cautious formulation, close to the diplomatic line that the kingdom has held since the beginning of the conflict.

Chinese President Xi Jinping judged that the war "does not serve the common interests of the international community," while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for "transforming this pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership," recalling the weight of the group: 50% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP, more than a quarter of international trade.

London, 13 September 2026. For the British press, the BRICS summit in New Delhi is seen less as a collective act of defiance towards Washington than as a demonstration of the bloc's internal limits. The BBC notes that "the shadow of President Trump looms large" over the proceedings, even though the United States is not a member. The tariffs imposed by the White House and the war in Iran, which have destabilised global energy markets, form the backdrop to the meeting, without producing, according to the BBC, a statement directly naming Washington.

The analysis relayed by the BBC, citing Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council, stresses the internal divisions: "India cannot afford a joint statement that takes aim at Washington," he recalls, as New Delhi negotiates the final terms of a trade agreement with the United States. Russia and Iran would have preferred a more offensive tone; China, on the other hand, is being cautious not to appear to be instrumentalising the BRICS against Washington. The result, according to this interpretation, is a critique that is judged to be vague and indirect rather than a coordinated line of attack.

The Independent places the summit in the broader context of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing, which are testing the bloc's ability to find common ground. The media outlet recalls that the BRICS, founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, now bring together eleven countries, around half of the world's population and a significant share of global GDP, and that reducing dependence on the dollar is one of the stated priorities, through the promotion of local currencies.