New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI): India, Brazil and South Africa have called for the immediate commencement of formal, text-based negotiations to overhaul the UN Security Council within a fixed timeframe, while endorsing India’s Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative and unequivocally condemning the April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The decisions were detailed in a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs following the 14th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission, held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York.
The meeting was attended by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira.
Expressing deep concern over the persistent paralysis within the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN Security Council (UNSC) reform, the Ministers called for a result-oriented process to adapt the body to contemporary geopolitical realities. According to the MEA statement, the Ministers urged "the redoubling of efforts to achieve concrete outcomes within a fixed time frame on this issue through the commencement of text-based negotiations, in a formal setting, during UNGA81."
Reaffirming their commitment to a representative global order, the Ministers voiced support for the legitimate aspirations of African countries to secure permanent presence in the UNSC, as well as for "Brazil’s and India’s legitimate aspirations to occupy permanent seats in the Security Council."
They also emphasised strengthening the UN General Assembly's authority to ensure that "Security Council inaction does not paralyse UN efforts."
In a major push toward sustainable energy transitions and supply chain resilience, the IBSA grouping formally backed India’s proposal for a Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative under the G20. The initiative aims to drive key technological innovations, including recycling, urban mining, and second-life batteries.
The Ministers noted that producer countries in the developing world continue to face severe challenges, including under-investment and limited local processing. They urged increased exploration and enhanced value retention within mineral-endowed developing nations, alongside robust, non-discriminatory standards.
On counter-terrorism, the Ministers strongly condemned the "gruesome killing of civilians in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, India, in April 2025." Reaffirming zero tolerance and rejecting double standards, the joint statement called for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist entities and proxy groups, explicitly citing Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). They further urged the expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN.
Addressing global economic architecture, the Ministers expressed serious concern over the imposition of unilateral tariffs, protectionist measures, and unlawful coercive economic actions that bypass international law. They called for comprehensive reforms of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Bretton Woods institutions, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, to enhance the voice and representation of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDCs).
On regional security, the Ministers voiced grave concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East, highlighting the spillover effects on energy and food security in the Global South. Reaffirming support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they called for an unhindered humanitarian flow into Gaza, full respect for UNRWA's mandate, and the admission of Palestine as a full UN member.
The statement also congratulated India on successfully hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026 and holding the AI Impact Summit earlier in the year. The Ministers further commended Brazil’s hosting of COP30 and supported operationalising the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), while resolving to advance joint initiatives on digital public infrastructure, foundational learning, and gender equality.
Highlighting his participation and the key outcomes from the meeting, EAM Jaishankar wrote in a post on X that the three countries adopted a Joint Media Statement outlining their positions on multilateralism, global security, economic governance, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, climate action and sustainable development.
Participated in the IBSA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today with FM @RonaldLamola of South Africa and FM Mauro Vieira of Brazil. #UNGA81 Our Joint Media Statement underscored: ✅ Commitment to the UN Charter, international law and a stronger multilateral system. ✅ Support for comprehensive UNSC reform to make it more democratic, representative, legitimate and reflective of contemporary realities. ✅ Concern over the spillover of conflicts on the Global South, particularly through energy and food insecurity, inflation and fiscal pressures. ✅ Strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and reaffirmation of zero tolerance for terrorism. ✅ Full commitment to empowering women and girls and removing social and economic barriers. ✅ Need to protect balanced, fair and mutually beneficial trade for equitable growth, inclusive development and greater resilience. ✅ Continued reform of global economic governance for more effective, equitable and representative participation of developing and emerging economies. ✅ Commitment to universal, meaningful connectivity and greater deployment of digital infrastructure. ✅ Recognition of AI’s immense potential to drive economic growth and sustainable development. ✅ Urgent action on climate and development challenges, including through Mission LiFE, Global Biofuels Alliance, International Solar Alliance and CDRI. ✅ Recognition that increasingly frequent and intense disasters and shocks threaten sustainable development. ✅ Support for tripling renewable energy capacity in the Global South, doubling the global average rate of energy-efficiency improvements, and expanding sustainable fuels including biofuels, biogases and low-emission hydrogen. #UNHighLevelWeek
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 25, 2026
The discussions come at a time when developing economies are dealing with the economic consequences of conflicts, including disruptions to energy and food supplies, inflationary pressures and constraints on public finances.
The IBSA Foreign Ministers' Meeting provided an opportunity for India, Brazil and South Africa to coordinate positions on reforms to global institutions and address shared concerns of developing countries at the UNGA.
Jaishankar's participation is part of India's wider diplomatic engagement at the 81st UN General Assembly, where he has held a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with foreign ministers and leaders on global and regional issues. (ANI)
