Guarding the Global South: Modi Flags Tech and Mineral Monopolies as Threats to Shared Progress

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a stark warning against the “weaponisation” of technology and critical minerals, cautioning that such practices threaten to hinder shared global progress and disproportionately harm ordinary citizens.

Delivering his address at the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Modi urged member nations to unite in safeguarding these vital resources from geopolitical coercion.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come against a backdrop of escalating global tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Highlighting the growing trust of the Global South in the bloc, Modi emphasized that BRICS must evolve beyond being a mere grouping of nations into a proactive “ecosystem of solutions.”

He noted that in an interconnected world, no crisis remains confined to a single region, making collective resilience an absolute necessity.

To translate this vision into tangible action, Modi announced a slew of new initiatives aimed at fortifying the bloc’s preparedness.

Chief among these is the proposed BRICS Integrated Early Warning System, designed to provide member states with advanced alerts for pandemics, natural disasters, and supply chain shocks.

Additionally, the Prime Minister proposed a dedicated BRICS Startup Fund to foster innovation and reduce the bloc’s reliance on external technological ecosystems.

While the Prime Minister did not name any specific country, diplomatic analysts widely interpret the warning on critical minerals as a subtle but firm message to China, which currently holds a dominant, near-monopolistic position in the global processing of rare earth elements and battery materials.

The timing of the statement, delivered in the presence of top Chinese leadership, underscored India’s commitment to strategic autonomy and its push for diversified, equitable supply chains within the Global South.

The New Delhi Declaration, adopted unanimously by the 11-member bloc, echoed these sentiments, reiterating the need to prevent the monopolization of critical resources and advocating for the democratization of emerging technologies.

“As rising geopolitical tensions adversely impact the lives of ordinary people, we must ensure that technology and critical minerals serve as bridges for development, not barriers,” Modi stated, reinforcing India’s chairmanship theme of building resilience, innovation, and sustainability.

As the summit concluded, the focus now shifts to the implementation of these frameworks. By championing inclusive growth and preemptive crisis management, India has successfully positioned BRICS not just as a counterweight to Western hegemony, but as a vital, self-reliant pillar for the future of the developing world.