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BRICS Summit Puts Energy Security, Critical Minerals and Clean-tech Supply Chains in Focus

BRICS, which now represents nearly half of the world's population and about 40 percent of global gross domestic product on a purchasing power parity basis, seeks to translate its growing economic weight into practical cooperation on the energy transition.

September 14, 2026. By Abha Rustagi

As the BRICS Summit unfolded in Delhi, energy security and economic resilience emerged as key priorities. Business and energy-sector leaders called for greater cooperation on critical minerals, clean-energy technologies, financing, and resilient supply chains.

BRICS, which now represents nearly half of the world's population and about 40 percent of global gross domestic product on a purchasing power parity basis, is seeking to translate its growing economic weight into practical cooperation on the energy transition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS countries had placed resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability at the centre of their agenda as the grouping sought to strengthen supply chains, expand clean-energy cooperation and address vulnerabilities linked to critical minerals and technology.

BRICS countries have agreed to deepen cooperation across smart grids, energy storage and solar photovoltaic technologies, as part of efforts to strengthen energy security, modernise power systems and support technological cooperation among member nations.

The BRICS New Delhi Declaration, adopted following the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi from September 12-13, highlighted the growing role of digital technologies in energy systems. The grouping said artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics could improve power-system planning, grid management, renewable-energy integration and operational efficiency.

The declaration welcomed the BRICS Guiding Principles on Smart Grids and Energy Storage and noted India's initiative to establish a BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage under the Smart Grids Workstream of the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform.

The proposed centre is intended to provide a platform for voluntary cooperation and dialogue among BRICS members on smart-grid and energy-storage technologies.

BRICS leaders also stressed the importance of diversified energy mixes, recognising the role of renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, nuclear power, hydropower, bioenergy and other technologies in strengthening energy security and supporting development objectives.

The declaration further called for greater cooperation on standards and certification frameworks for zero- and low-emission hydrogen and noted ongoing work on a joint BRICS report examining hydrogen value chains.

Solar PV Cooperation Gains Focus

The declaration also placed greater emphasis on cooperation in the photovoltaic industry. BRICS leaders welcomed the adoption of the Terms of Reference and Action Plan of the Photovoltaic Industry Working Group.

The grouping encouraged member countries to establish knowledge portals for sharing policy updates and best practices and backed the development of a BRICS Solar Photovoltaic Cooperation Roadmap.

The roadmap is expected to identify priority areas for technology cooperation, financing and capacity building across the BRICS solar PV sector.

The declaration also recognised the importance of critical minerals for zero- and low-emission energy technologies and energy-security applications, underscoring the need for resilient and diversified supply chains.

Speaking at the Summit, Modi said the bloc had made progress on initiatives spanning logistics, energy storage, smart grids, digital agriculture and disaster management, while stressing the need for solutions developed within BRICS to also serve the wider Global South.

“Under India’s Presidency, we have focused all our efforts on these four pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability. I am pleased that, with all your cooperation and support, we have been able to translate our shared vision into win-win cooperation,” Modi said.

He said rising conflicts, climate disasters, pandemics and supply-chain disruptions had demonstrated the need for greater resilience in an interconnected global economy.

“Pandemics, climate disasters, and supply-chain disruptions have shown that in today’s interconnected world, no crisis remains confined to a single region. Therefore, within the BRICS group, we have placed special emphasis on strengthening resilience. It is equally important to identify challenges in time, be prepared for them, and take prompt action,” he said.

The focus on energy resilience came as the global clean-energy transition shifted attention from conventional fuel security towards vulnerabilities in critical minerals, battery materials and advanced technologies.

Debmalya Sen, President, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), said, “With India leading and major energy players like Russia, Iran, and the UAE at the table, the Summit’s agenda promises a shift from dialogue to decisive action. Key advances, like the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and new principles for energy storage, set the stage for accelerated projects, harmonised standards, and stronger critical mineral supply chains. For India’s energy storage sector, this is a strategic inflection point to drive technical cooperation, innovation, and global leadership in clean technology.”

Global battery demand has grown sharply, while the processing of key energy minerals remains concentrated in a small number of countries, highlighting the risks posed by supply-chain dependence.

Dr. Avishek Kumar, Founder and Director, Sunkonnect, said, “Today, the largest refining country controls 72 percent of refined supply for key energy minerals, and global battery demand has surged past 1.5 TWh, exposing new vulnerabilities. The goal should not be self-sufficiency, but to diversify strategic dependencies by mapping supply chains for minerals like lithium, graphite, and rare earths, and distributing manufacturing, processing, and recycling across our economies. We must also cut the cost of capital, unlock more than the $30 billion targeted by the New Development Bank, and prioritise local-currency lending.”

The challenge for BRICS is increasingly shifting from setting targets to developing projects and financial mechanisms capable of delivering them at scale.

Kumar M, Founder and CEO, Smart Grid Analytics, said, “The launch of the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage is a step forward, but the focus must now be on translating such initiatives into robust, scalable solutions. With global climate finance needs targeting USD 1.3 trillion by 2035, BRICS must drive mechanisms that lower the cost of capital for clean energy and infrastructure. Streamlining access to concessional finance, accelerating technology co-development, and building resilient supply chains should be at the heart of the Delhi Summit’s agenda.”

Resource-rich BRICS economies are also facing pressure to move beyond exporting raw materials and develop greater domestic capacity in processing, manufacturing, recycling and technology.

Akhilesh Bagaria, Co-Founder, NavPrakriti, said, “With demand for minerals like lithium and rare earths accelerating, battery demand alone has jumped over 35 percent in a year; our challenge is not just to secure resources, but to maximise their value at every stage. The focus must now shift to building capacities for recycling, reprocessing, and innovation within BRICS, reducing waste and extending the lifecycle of critical materials. By investing in closed-loop supply chains and supporting policies that foster collaboration across member nations, BRICS can minimise vulnerabilities and set new standards for sustainable energy systems.”

Electric mobility is another area where cooperation across the BRICS bloc could link clean power, battery manufacturing, critical minerals and digital infrastructure.

Sandeep Mukherjee, CEO, BLive, said, “As BRICS nations accelerate the shift to clean transport, it’s essential to address not just the deployment of electric vehicles, but also the entire ecosystem. The Rio de Janeiro Declaration’s focus on benefit sharing and value addition is a timely reminder that BRICS must lead on localising battery manufacturing and recycling, ensuring these opportunities translate into jobs and economic growth. I’m optimistic that this year’s agenda will drive collaboration on grid modernisation, digital innovation, and affordable climate finance, creating a foundation for sustainable mobility and energy resilience that meets the unique needs of our diverse markets.”

For India's solar industry, the focus is similarly shifting from rapid capacity additions towards deeper localisation, quality and long-term reliability.

Vijay Menon, COO, Navitas Solar, commented, “The next phase of the solar transition must move beyond the race to add capacity and focus equally on building an ecosystem that can deliver reliable, long-term performance. For the Global South, this means treating quality, compliance, traceability and durability as critical energy infrastructure. Solar assets are expected to perform for 25–30 years, and therefore ‘Made in India’ must increasingly stand for not just domestic manufacturing, but manufacturing built to last.”

“For India, one of the biggest challenges is the depth of localisation across the solar value chain. While grid modernisation, storage and transmission remain critical, building greater domestic capacity across cells, wafers, ingots and other key components will be essential to reducing exposure to global price volatility and supply-chain disruptions. The industry also needs better synchronisation between generation and transmission investments to ensure that capacity addition translates into actual power delivery, rather than curtailment. To compete globally, policy support must extend beyond module assembly to the wider manufacturing ecosystem, including critical components and raw materials, while lower-cost financing for R&D and next-generation technologies will be essential to accelerate innovation. At the same time, stronger trade partnerships across BRICS and the Global South can help create more diversified and resilient renewable-energy supply chains. The objective should not simply be to manufacture more modules, but to build a technology-led, quality-focused, and self-reliant solar ecosystem capable of powering the next phase of the global energy transition,” added Menon.

The industry message is increasingly focused on implementation: diversifying critical-mineral supplies, expanding domestic manufacturing and recycling, lowering the cost of clean-energy finance and strengthening cooperation across BRICS and the wider Global South.

The emphasis, industry leaders say, is on moving beyond declarations and building practical mechanisms that can strengthen energy resilience while supporting the next phase of clean-energy growth.