Stressing on energy security as crucial for economic development, the BRICS group of emerging economies on Saturday highlighted the significance of maintaining undisrupted energy flows while ensuring protection of critical energy infrastructure, including cross-border infrastructure.The New Delhi declaration by the BRICS nations comes amidst the biggest disruption in energy supplies in history as the relentless conflict in West Asia continues to threaten supply chains, critical energy commodities and continued threat to energy and other infrastructure. The BRICS nations unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration, which recognises that energy security is a crucial foundation for social and economic development, national security and the welfare of all nations. The grouping also expressed deep concern over the escalation in West Asia, stressing on maximum restraint, protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as leveraging dialogue and diplomacy towards lasting peace.“We highlight the need to enhance energy security by ensuring energy market stability and maintaining undisrupted flows of energy from diverse sources, strengthening value chains, ensuring resilience and protection of critical energy infrastructure, including cross-border infrastructure,” the declaration emphasised.It also acknowledged that fossil fuels will still play an important role in the world’s energy mix, particularly for emerging markets and developing economies, and that the BRICS countries recognise the need to promote just, orderly, equitable and inclusive energy transitions and reduce GHG emissions in line with climate goals.The declaration also highlighted the growing role of digitalisation in energy systems including technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics that offer significant potential to improve system planning, grid management, renewable integration, operational efficiency and a strengthened cyber-resilient energy infrastructure. “We underscore the importance of balanced and diversified energy mixes reflecting national circumstances and recognise that the widest variety of energy sources and technologies including but not limited to renewable energy, bioenergy, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydropower, hydrogen, low carbon technologies, energy storage technologies, which play an important role in achieving the SDGs and energy security,” the declaration emphasised.It also underscored the role of all available energy sources, resilient energy supply chains and enhanced cooperation among BRICS countries through deliberations in the energy track.On critical minerals, the New Delhi declaration affirmed the need to promote reliable, responsible, diversified, resilient, fair, sustainable, and just supply chains of critical minerals to guarantee benefit sharing, value addition and economic diversification in resource-rich countries.It stressed on preserving sovereign rights of these resource-rich countries over their mineral wealth, as well as their right to adopt, maintain and enforce measures necessary to pursue legitimate public policy objectives. “We recognise the key role of critical minerals for the development of zero- and low- emission energy technologies, energy security, and resilience of energy supply chains,” the declaration emphasised.Published on September 12, 2026