NEW DELHI, SEP 13 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that the “weaponisation” of technology and critical minerals could hinder shared prosperity, urging BRICS nations to cooperate in addressing challenges facing the Global South.
Addressing the concluding session of the India-hosted BRICS summit, Modi flagged global conflicts and their impact on ordinary people. He said developing nations increasingly trust BRICS as their voices are heard and solutions created jointly.
“The weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress,” Modi said, emphasising inclusivity in technology. The summit concluded with outcomes on logistics supply chains, start-ups and infectious disease control. Modi said India’s BRICS chairship focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
He said pandemics, climate disasters and supply-chain disruptions had shown that no crisis remains confined to a single region. BRICS nations agreed on an Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases and disaster-management data guidelines.
The BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework would strengthen supply chains, while the BRICS Incubator Network would connect start-ups. India proposed a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund.
The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture will connect AI, geospatial technology and Digital Public Infrastructure with farmers’ needs, Modi said. He said BRICS cooperation should extend beyond governments to entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth and citizens, highlighting BRICS CONNECT, the MSME Cooperation Portal and Urban Mobility Hub.
On sustainability, Modi said the bloc had emphasised balancing human development with environmental protection and established a BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for smart grids and energy storage. The summit took place amid the Russia-Ukraine war, West Asia crisis and US trade and tariff policies.
