India's BRICS Sherpa Sudhakar Dalela on Saturday echoed Chinese President Xi Jinping's call for more innovative development among member states, saying that India wants to pursue joint efforts with China and other BRICS members to promote cooperation on innovation.
When addressing the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi earlier that day, Xi called on the grouping to pioneer in advancing innovation-driven development. BRICS countries, he said, should strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence and push practical cooperation into new areas and to new heights.
China proposed an initiative to promote new industrialization through artificial intelligence among BRICS countries, and is willing to work with all parties to deliver more outcomes in research, development and application, and deepen cooperation in industrial and supply chains, Xi said.
"We do have active collaboration within the BRICS already. I spoke about BRICS Incubator Network, which is linked to innovation. We are talking of BRICS Startup Innovation Fund. And so, these are very important outcomes of our chairship on innovation, and we would like to pursue collaboration with China and with other BRICS nations going forward," Dalela said at a press briefing.
Initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, and later expanding with the addition of South Africa, the BRICS today has expanded to 11 member countries and 10 partner countries, becoming a force for advancing a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations.
India's BRICS Sherpa expresses willingness to enhance innovative cooperation with China
As the 18th BRICS Summit is underway in New Delhi this weekend, international journalists covering the event have stressed China's indispensable role in strengthening the grouping and amplifying the voice of the Global South.
The summit, held in India's capital from Saturday to Sunday under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," has gathered leaders from 11 full member states, 10 partner countries, and invited guests.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, which has grown into the most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries.
"[When] President Xi, he said that we have to be together whether it's rain or a wind, I mean that has a sense of respect even though we are a small country compared to China. We would love to see China play a bigger role," said Firdaus Azil, a journalist from Malaysia.
International journalists covering the summit in India noted that China's consistent commitment to inclusiveness and equitable cooperation within BRICS has left a deep impression on observers from developing nations.
"I see it [BRICS] as a formidable force that is driving development. For me, I believe that China plays a huge role in BRICS," said Sarafina Christopher, a journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria.
The recurring descriptors - "huge," "bigger," and "important" - used by international journalists to characterize China's role in BRICS reflect what China has been tangibly delivered through two decades of sustained engagement with the grouping.
China has consistently championed a more equitable global governance system that gives the Global South a stronger voice.
From the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win progress in 2014, to BRICS+ in 2017, to the greater BRICS cooperation in 2024, and in 2025 when the Chinese president made three proposals to foster synergy for common development, each step has refined the approach to make it work.
With China set to assume the BRICS rotating presidency in 2027, all eyes will be on how the country builds on this momentum to further strengthen the grouping and advance the shared aspirations of the Global South.
International journalists highlight China's pivotal role in BRICS cooperation
