N ew Delhi [India], September 12 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed gratitude to China for its support and cooperation during India's BRICS chairship as he held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. “It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to you. Thank you very much for your positive remarks at the BRICS Summit. I express my gratitude for the support and cooperation received from China during India's BRICS chairmanship,” PM Modi said during his meeting with Xi. “We now have the opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation. Once again, a warm welcome to India,” he added. President Xi in his address said that China and India can learn from each other's strengths and achieve shared development. He also urged both nations to join hands for high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation. Earlier, the BRICS nations unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, which expressed deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in West Asia and called for maximum restraint and avoidance of actions that could further aggravate the situation. “We urge to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations in their entirety and interconnectedness, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States,” the declaration said. The BRICS declaration also encouraged greater efforts through dialogue and diplomacy towards a long-term understanding contributing to lasting peace, security and stability in the region. “We stress the need to work together to maintain smooth flow of global trade, supply chains and energy, in accordance with applicable international law,” it said. The grouping expressed serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stressing that nuclear safeguards, safety and security must be upheld, including during armed conflicts. The declaration also called for implementation of relevant UN General Assembly and UN Security Council resolutions and urged all parties to ensure the maintenance of ceasefire and full and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip. Addressing the BRICS Summit, Xi Jinping called on BRICS nations to play a peacemaking role amid the conflict in West Asia, saying China would work with other members towards that goal. The BRICS declaration also noted the current global context of polarisation and distrust and encouraged global action to strengthen international peace and security. It advocated a multilateral approach that respects diverse national viewpoints on key global issues, including sustainable development, eradication of hunger and poverty and the global response to climate change. The grouping also expressed concern over growing nuclear risks and conflict and reiterated the need to strengthen the system of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation to promote global stability and international peace and security. Earlier, addressing the 18th BRICS Summit session on Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening in New Delhi, PM Modi proposed 10 measures for global governance reform, which BRICS members could develop into a BRICS Reform Roadmap by the next Summit. He also called for transforming the Global South from a “rule-taker into a rule-shaper”, saying the Global South remains at the forefront of global crises but continues to remain on the sidelines when it comes to decision-making. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

N ew Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): The rebel faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, on Saturday said he was "100 per cent optimistic" about the faction's prospects in the ongoing election symbol dispute. Speaking to ANI, Banerjee said the discussions were "very fruitful" but declined to disclose details of the meeting. "I cannot disclose what talks happened; it was very fruitful. They had many queries; we answered them and showed some documents. They had asked for those documents to be submitted. We will be doing that. So we are hopeful because we are the TMC," he said. Referring to the faction's political standing in West Bengal, Banerjee said, "There is a saying now in Bengal politics: 'Na khata na bahi, jo Mamata Banerjee kahe wahi sahi'. That's how everything was going. We are hopeful." He added that as a democratic organisation, the rebel faction of the TMC would comply with all documentation requirements. On the possibility of a by-election in Nandigram, Banerjee said his faction wanted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to remain part of the state Assembly and had more or less finalised its candidate. "Mamata Banerjee has never won any direct Assembly election. She is very comfortable with by-elections... In 2021, it was again a by-election because she got defeated in Nandigram. So this time too, she has been defeated," he said. He further claimed that even members of Banerjee's family did not vote for her. "We want Mamata Banerjee to be a part of the Assembly, so we have decided more or less on our candidate; only the announcement is due. If, even after the announcement, Mamata Banerjee expresses a desire to fight as an independent, we will withdraw our candidate in our support," he said. Earlier, a five-member delegation representing the rebel faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, arrived at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in Delhi on Saturday for a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Banerjee heads a group of around 60 of the 80 newly elected TMC MLAs who distanced themselves from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the party's defeat to the BJP in the Assembly polls held in April. Both factions have staked claim to being the "real" Trinamool Congress and approached the Election Commission seeking recognition as the party's legitimate leadership. On Wedneday, the ECI had written to Ritabrata Banerjee regarding representations concerning the TMC amid a dispute over the party's name, election symbol and funds between the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. In its letter to Ritabrata Banerjee, the ECI said, "The Commission has decided to give an appointment to your delegation comprising of five members for a meeting on 12.09.2026 (Saturday) at 11:00 AM" at the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM), Sector-13, Dwarka, Delhi. The ECI's meeting with the Banerjee-led delegation comes ahead of the September 16 deadline for filing nominations for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls in West Bengal. The polling will be conducted on October 6 (Tuesday), and the counting of votes will take place on October 9 (Friday). The Commission stated that the entire election process is slated for completion before October 11, 2026. In West Bengal, bypolls were necessitated in Rejinagar and Nandigram following the resignations of Humayun Kabir and Suvendu Adhikari, respectively. (ANI)

N ew Delhi [India], September 12 : Highlighting the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presence in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, Ekaterina Nadolskaya, Editor-in-Chief of Russia News, expressed optimism about a major boost in bilateral cooperation across financial, economic, and cultural spheres. Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Nadolskaya recalled her previous visit during the G20 Summit three years ago, when delegates frequently inquired about President Putin’s absence. She emphasised that his physical attendance at the 2026 BRICS Summit marks a pivotal shift in strengthening ties between India and Russia. President Putin’s presence at the New Delhi summit signals a renewed momentum in India-Russia strategic and economic ties. “This is my second time in India. I was here 3 years ago for the G20. When I was at the G20, people from different countries came to me and asked why Vladimir Putin did not come...Now, Putin has come to India,” she said. She expected acceleration in bilateral banking mechanisms, trade settlement systems, and broader economic partnerships following the leaders' meetings. “I think it is very important because after this Summit, many things will change between our countries - India and Russia, I hope: in the economic sector and banking sector, in the culture sector too,” Nadolskaya said. Nadolskaya praised the popularity of Indian culture, cuisine, and dance in Russia, pointing to the growing presence of Indian restaurants and inviting Indians to visit Saint Petersburg. “We really like Indian dance and Indian food. We have several Indian restaurants,” she said. Inviting Indians to visit Russia, Nadolskaya said, “I invite you to Saint Petersburg; it is a nice city like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore.” “We really like Indian people,” she added. Nadolskaya's remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BRICS leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, participated in the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Following the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026, PM Modi and other BRICS leaders posed for a family photograph and participated in a joint tree plantation at Bharat Mandapam. The BRICS leaders also visited the Bharat Innovates exhibition at Bharat Mandapam, where they toured showcases of Indian innovation and technology. The visit came as India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13 under its 2026 Chairship, guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026 at the Summit. “No member has raised any objection. The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously,” Modi said. The declaration, adopted after intensive negotiations, reaffirmed BRICS' commitment to strengthening multilateralism and called for peaceful resolution of international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy. It also expressed concern over the continued escalation of tensions in West Asia and called for maximum restraint and avoidance of actions that could further aggravate the situation. The declaration backed comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the UN Security Council, calling for greater representation of developing countries and stressing that reform should lead to an “amplified voice of the Global South”. “We reiterate our commitment to reforming and improving global governance by promoting a more just, equitable, agile, effective, efficient, responsive, representative, legitimate, democratic and accountable international and multilateral system,” the declaration said. It called for greater and more meaningful participation and representation of emerging market and developing countries and Least Developed Countries, particularly from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, in global decision-making processes and structures. On UN Security Council reform, BRICS reiterated its support for making the Council more democratic, representative, effective and efficient and increasing the representation of developing countries. “We stress that the UN Security Council reform is to lead to the amplified voice of the Global South,” the declaration said. The declaration also noted that China and Russia, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, reiterated their support for the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in the UN, including its Security Council. BRICS also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening global economic governance and called for reforms in the Bretton Woods Institutions to make them more representative of contemporary global economic realities. The grouping further reaffirmed support for World Trade Organisation reform and called for a stronger, open, equitable, transparent, fair, inclusive, predictable and rules-based multilateral trading system. It strongly advocated the immediate restoration of an accessible, effective and fully functioning two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement mechanism and called for the appointment of new Appellate Body members without further delay. The declaration also expressed serious concern over unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. BRICS countries reached consensus on the Joint Statement after negotiations that continued until early Saturday morning, with India leading consultations to bridge differences among members. The consensus assumed significance as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of the grouping despite differences over several regional and geopolitical issues, amid ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in West Asia. At the Summit, Prime Minister Modi also launched two postage stamps commemorating 20 years of BRICS. BRICS currently comprises 11 countries Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor