BRICS Summit 2025 Schedule Updates: Important Dates for UPSC Aspirants - July 17th Marks Meeting
The 17th BRICS Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6-7, 2025, concluded with a series of key outcomes aimed at promoting peace, security, and international stability. Hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the summit brought together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to discuss pressing global issues.
The summit was centred around the idea of a multipolar world and the challenges it faces. The BRICS nations, representing approximately 49% of the world's population, 40% of the world GDP, and 26% of the world trade, focused on strengthening South-South cooperation and BRICS partnerships for overall development.
One of the main highlights of the summit was the focus on global governance reform. BRICS members supported the expansion of the UN Security Council to include more permanent members from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, aiming for greater representation of the Global South. They also advocated for reforms in the IMF and World Bank to better reflect the influence of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDCs) and endorsed a rules-based WTO.
Sustainable development was another key area of focus. The summit adopted the Leaders’ Framework Declaration on Climate Finance to mobilize resources for developing countries. BRICS leaders also endorsed an MoU on the BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership to enhance cooperation in carbon pricing and emissions trading.
Peace and security were also high on the agenda. BRICS reaffirmed its support for "African Solutions to African Problems" and called for a Gaza ceasefire and a two-state solution. They condemned the Pahalgam attack and emphasized the rejection of terrorism on principle.
Financial cooperation was another key area of discussion. The summit advanced discussions on a Cross-Border Payments Initiative to reduce reliance on the US dollar, supported the expansion of the New Development Bank, and initiated the BRICS Multilateral Guarantees (BMG) pilot to de-risk investments.
Technology and the digital economy were also discussed extensively. BRICS adopted the Leaders’ Statement on Global AI Governance and concluded the Data Economy Governance Understanding. They also agreed to form a BRICS Space Council for collaborative space exploration.
Health and social development were also important topics. The summit launched the Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases, focusing on tuberculosis, to tackle health disparities.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Rio de Janeiro Declaration, emphasizing multilateralism, sustainable development, counterterrorism, and AI governance. Indonesia formally joined as a full member, and 11 countries—Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Uganda, and Uzbekistan—were welcomed as partner countries.
The summit also emphasized the need for a collective global effort for AI governance that upholds shared values, addresses risks, builds trust, and ensures broad and inclusive international collaboration and access. A Climate Framework Declaration was adopted, recognizing the Tropical Forest Forever Fund (TFFF) as an innovative mechanism to mobilize long-term financing for tropical forest conservation.
However, the Rio de Janeiro Declaration does not provide any details on the specific quota increases or World Bank shareholding changes for emerging and developing countries. The outcomes of the BRICS Summit include an emphasis on increasing the IMF quota and World Bank shareholding of emerging and developing countries.
The BRICS Summit has proven to be an important platform for discussing and addressing global issues, and this year's summit in Rio de Janeiro was no exception. The focus on South-South cooperation and a multipolar world is a testament to the growing influence of the BRICS nations on the global stage.
[1] BRICS Summit Official Communique, 2025. [2] Rio de Janeiro Declaration, 2025. [3] Climate Framework Declaration, 2025.
- Amidst discussions about climate change and environmental science, the BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership was endorsed at the summit, aiming to enhance cooperation in carbon pricing and emissions trading.
- Acknowledging the importance of health and wellness, the Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases was launched at the summit, focusing on tuberculosis to tackle health disparities.
- In the realm of technology and artificial intelligence, BRICS members adopted the Leaders’ Statement on Global AI Governance and agreed to form a BRICS Space Council for collaborative space exploration.
- The conservative movement of finance was evident as the BRICS Summit emphasized the need for a Cross-Border Payments Initiative to reduce reliance on the US dollar, and encouraged the expansion of the New Development Bank.
