BRICS 2026: PM Modi flags tech, critical minerals weaponisation

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the use of technology and critical minerals to gain an advantage would act as a drag on global advancement, underlining that a rising cooperative tide would lift all boats.

"The weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress. Therefore, we have emphasised inclusivity in the adoption of technology," Modi said at the BRICS session on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability in New Delhi on Sunday.

President Xi Jinping's presence in the room during Modi's address was significant, given that India and several other countries have been at the receiving end of China putting the squeeze on supply chains involving critical minerals in the wake of US President Donald Trump deploying tariffs as a means of economic protectionism.


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On Saturday evening, Modi had raised the issue of supply chain issues faced by India due to China's policies with President Xi.

The Prime Minister brought up the disruption of supply chains due to global tensions in his address on Sunday. "Today, the number of conflicts and tensions in the world is continuously increasing, and this is having an increasingly negative and far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary people," he said. "Pandemics, climate disasters, and supply-chain disruptions have shown that in today's interconnected world, no crisis remains confined to a single region."

Support for Farmers

"Therefore, within the BRICS group, we have placed special emphasis on strengthening resilience. It is equally important to identify challenges in time, be prepared for them, and take prompt action," the PM said.

Also Read: At BRICS, Modi warns geopolitical tensions and supply chain shocks threaten global stability

In this context, the PM said that India's BRICS presidency has focused on four pillars - resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, adding, "I am pleased that, with all your cooperation and support, we have been able to translate our shared vision into win-win cooperation."

Modi also referred to BRICS support for logistics, farmers, startups, innovators and disaster management during India's presidency.

"We have agreed on a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for the prevention of and response to infectious diseases," he said. "Early Warning Data Integration Guidelines have been prepared for disaster management. The BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework will help make our supply chains more reliable and resilient."

Other initiatives will foster better networking among new enterprises.

"Under innovation, the BRICS Incubator Network will connect our startups and incubators with one another. To promote innovative and scalable solutions, we have proposed the BRICS Startup Innovation Fund," he said. The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will create new opportunities for farmers, Modi said.

"Through this initiative, AI, geospatial technology, and Digital Public Infrastructure will be connected to the real needs of farmers," he said. He pointed out that India's endeavour has been to ensure that BRICS cooperation does not remain limited to governments alone.

"We have sought to make our entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth, and ordinary citizens active participants in it," Modi said. "Through BRICS Connect, we have promoted skills, employability, women in the workforce, social security, and capacity building. To connect small enterprises with knowledge, finance, and new markets, we have initiated the BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal. The BRICS Urban Mobility Hub has been established to facilitate the sharing of best practices among our cities."

ET had reported on these steps ahead of the summit.

BRICS has also sought to ensure protection of the environment.

"In Indian civilisation, nature has been accorded the status of a mother," Modi said. "For centuries, we have believed that development and the environment are not alternatives to each other, but are complementary. Within BRICS as well, we have emphasised the need to strike a balance between human development and the environment... For Smart Grids and Energy Storage, we have established the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence. This will help make our clean energy systems more reliable, efficient, and accessible." The Centres of Excellence for Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture will connect traditional knowledge with modern science. The principles developed for community-based climate adaptation will make indigenous knowledge an important foundation for climate action, the PM said.

Accessible Solutions

Modi said the benefits of solutions developed within BRICS should not remain confined to the bloc alone.

"They should be made adaptable and accessible to meet the needs of the Global South," he said. "From my personal experience, I can say that the Global South countries' confidence in BRICS has grown, because within BRICS, their voices are heard. Their experiences are respected. And solutions are developed not for them, but together with them." This goes to the heart of what the organisation stands for.

"The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and cooperation. We may be rooted in different realities, but together, we rise through cooperation, and blossom for humanity," Modi said.

The BRICS session on Sunday was attended by all 11 members and 10 partner countries and other outreach partners.