‘Forged Consensus In A Polarised World’: S Jaishankar Hails India’s ‘Strong Convening Power’ Amid Global Conflicts

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday hailed the success of the BRICS India Summit 2026, saying India demonstrated its strong convening power by bringing together 32 delegations amid a deeply polarised global environment.

Speaking about the summit, Jaishankar said the participating delegations included 11 member states, 10 partner countries, four regional organisations and seven international organisations. He highlighted that most of the participants were represented at the level of heads of state or government.

Jaishankar said the summit was held at a time when the world was witnessing major conflicts and deep political divisions, making consensus-building particularly challenging.

“The whole nation, and indeed the world, saw yesterday the success of BRICS India Summit 2026,” Jaishankar said, adding that India managed to forge consensus among the participating countries despite their differing positions and interests.

He particularly pointed to the West Asia conflict as one of the most difficult issues discussed at the summit. According to Jaishankar, BRICS members reached an agreement on a statement calling for peace, security and stability in the region, along with long-term understanding.

The statement also called for the smooth flow of global trade, supply chains and energy, besides emphasising the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Jaishankar said the achievement went beyond the adoption of a joint statement, noting that the summit created an atmosphere for “very open and comfortable conversations” among world leaders.

He said leaders who might not otherwise have met had an opportunity to interact during the summit, contributing to broader global discussions on major international issues.

The External Affairs Minister described the summit as an example of India’s ability to bring countries together and facilitate dialogue even amid geopolitical tensions and competing global interests.