BRICS declaration incomplete, says Bhupesh Baghel; flags Galwan, Arunachal

Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel and Rashid Alvi criticised the BRICS 'New Delhi Declaration'. Baghel called it 'incomplete' for not mentioning Galwan or Arunachal, while Alvi questioned its diplomatic impact without naming terror perpetrators.

Congress Slams 'Incomplete' BRICS Declaration

Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday criticised the BRICS declaration, saying it was incomplete as it made no mention of the Galwan clash, Arunachal Pradesh, or China’s claims over the region. Speaking to ANI on the condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack in the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ adopted at the BRICS Summit, Baghel said the declaration failed to address several issues concerning India.

“The point is that while they protested against the Pahalgam attack, albeit after so much time had passed, they did not deem ‘Operation Sindoor’ to be right... so that's incomplete,” Baghel said.

He further questioned the absence of any reference to the Galwan clash and China’s claims concerning Arunachal Pradesh. “Nothing was said regarding Galwan or Arunachal, concerning the claims China is making about them,” Baghel said.

His remarks came after BRICS leaders adopted the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ at the 18th BRICS Summit, which included a condemnation of the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam.

Earlier, Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday questioned the diplomatic impact of the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India, after member states condemned cross-border terrorism and specifically mentioned the Pahalgam terror attack.

Expressing scepticism over the text of the resolution, the senior Congress leader, while talking to ANI, argued that a condemnation without naming the perpetrators or sponsor states fails to deliver a meaningful diplomatic outcome. "The Delhi Declaration that has been issued condemns terrorism and the Pahalgam incident, but does it state anywhere who carried out the Pahalgam attack? Does it mention anywhere who is perpetrating terrorism globally? There is no mention of that... No one would support terrorism, but the question is, who is doing it?... What is the point of a declaration where one cannot even identify who is committing the theft?... That's why this is not a diplomatic win at all," he said.

Details of the New Delhi Declaration

The New Delhi Declaration, adopted unanimously on the opening day of the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026, is being seen as a major diplomatic win for India, with the bloc explicitly condemning the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and taking a unified stand against cross-border terrorism.

On April 22, 2025, terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people and injuring several others. Indian agencies traced the attack to Pakistan-backed operatives. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The Declaration titled "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" contains some of the strongest counter-terror language adopted by BRICS so far. Leaders called for zero tolerance towards terrorism in all forms, stating that all terrorist acts are criminal and unjustifiable. Member states were urged to reject double standards in countering terrorism.

The text targets cross-border movement of terrorists, terror financing and safe havens. It called for joint action against all UN-designated terrorists and entities. Concerns were flagged over illicit financial flows, money laundering, cyber fraud and cross-border scam networks used to fund extremist activities.

China joining the consensus on India-centric terror language, even without naming Pakistan, is seen as significant, coming ahead of talks between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping. Unlike the recent SCO meetings where consensus on Pahalgam could not be reached, BRICS managed to adopt a joint condemnation. The stance aligns with similar condemnations earlier made by groupings like the Quad. (ANI)

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