BRICS 2026: PM Modi seeks bigger role for growth-driving economies in global governance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday proposed a secure digital repository to track BRICS decisions and their implementation, while calling for global financial institutions to better reflect the changing economic realities of the world.Addressing the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Modi said voting power in global financial institutions must reflect current economic realities, with leadership positions and policy priorities also aligned with the countries driving global growth.“Countries driving global economic growth deserve a greater role in global economic governance,” Modi said, calling for greater weight to be given to growth-driving economies.He also said BRICS must focus on the “speed, scale and last-mile impact” of its collective response, as the grouping marks 20 years and enters what he described as a “new phase of maturity and responsibility”.Digital repository to track BRICS decisionsModi proposed a secure digital repository for BRICS decisions that would track nodal points, timelines and implementation status.He said the institutional momentum of BRICS must not stop with a change in presidency and proposed a BRICS Continuity and Implementation Mechanism.BRICS initiatives and outcomes could be followed up through the Troika, he said, helping ensure that decisions taken by the grouping translate into concrete action.Modi said the grouping now needs to turn its unity and consensus into “concrete global outcomes” and called for a “new and ambitious agenda” for the next 20 years.BRICS’ growing economic weightThe push comes as BRICS’ economic and demographic weight has expanded significantly over the past two decades. At the BRICS Business Forum on Friday, PM Modi said BRICS and its partner countries now represent 50% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and more than 25% of global trade.He said the combined GDP of BRICS countries had grown around 4.5 times over the past 20 years, compared with growth of around 2.5 times for the global economy.“In other words, the economic strength of BRICS has grown at nearly twice the pace of the world economy,” Modi said.PM Modi renews push for UNSC reformPM Modi also stepped up his call for reform of the global governance architecture, saying UN Security Council reforms can no longer be delayed.He called for UNSC reform talks to have a clear timeline and said negotiations must be linked to a clear outcome.The Prime Minister, on Saturday, also stressed that equal participation in framing future global rules would be critical, particularly as artificial intelligence, cyberspace, outer space and biotechnology reshape the global order.Seafarers network and broader BRICS agendaPM Modi also proposed a Seafarers Emergency Support Network linking maritime authorities and missions. The network could support distress alerts, medical aid and evacuation, while helping keep families informed during emergencies.He said BRICS had built a “distinct identity on the global stage” and stressed that the grouping respects each member’s perspectives and moves by consensus.“BRICS is not against anyone, seeks to take everyone along,” Modi said.The Prime Minister’s remarks build on the economic and business agenda he outlined at the BRICS Business Forum on Friday. He had called for a report on removing the top 10 trade barriers among BRICS countries, support for 100 BRICS startups every year to scale into other member markets and the creation of 1,000 new business partnerships.Modi said progress on these three benchmarks should be reviewed every year, urging BRICS to turn its collective ambition into action and its economic strength into global solutions.Also Read: BRICS Summit 2026 Live Updates: PM Modi says BRICS not against anyone, seeks to take everyone along

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