Bridging Economies: BRICS Leaders Call for Ceasefire in Gaza

The BRICS summit, involving leaders from China, India, and Russia, called for a ceasefire in Gaza and explored non-Western economic systems. While broad topics were covered, the communique offered limited details, especially on an independent payment system. Ukraine was seldom mentioned amid strategic discussions.

At the latest BRICS summit, global leaders including China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi, and Russia's Vladimir Putin advocated for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The summit also addressed the potential of establishing an independent payment system, though little concrete progress was reported.

The 43-page final communique tackled various issues from geopolitics to artificial intelligence, yet Ukraine was scarcely mentioned. Despite growing interest, expansion of the BRICS group remains ambiguous, with more than 30 countries expressing interest in joining.

Amidst the deliberations, the war in Ukraine loomed large. Modi publicly called for peace, and Xi engaged in private discussions with Putin. China and Brazil are pushing for a truce at the UN, though their efforts are seen by some as supporting Moscow's stance.

(With inputs from agencies.)