Full Breakdown
Modi warns against weaponisation of technology and critical minerals at BRICS summit
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Warning on weaponisation at the BRICS summit
On September 13, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the closing remarks of the second day of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, linking the warning to inclusive technology adoption and resilient supply chains.
Background & Context
India’s presidency has highlighted four pillars—resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability—and seeks to broaden BRICS participation beyond governments to entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth and ordinary citizens.
China controls roughly 90 % of global rare-earth refining, raising concerns about the strategic use of critical minerals. China tightened export controls on rare earths during a 2025 trade dispute with the United States, then partially eased those restrictions.
Data & Statistics
- ? 90 % of the world’s rare-earth refining is performed in China.
Official Statements & Responses
Modi’s address outlined several initiatives:
- The BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for infectious-disease prevention and disaster-management data integration.
- A BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework to improve supply-chain reliability.
- The BRICS Incubator Network and a proposed BRICS Startup Innovation Fund to connect startups across member states.
- A BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture aligning AI, geospatial technology and digital public infrastructure with farmers’ needs.
He framed these measures as “win-win” collaborations that advance inclusive global growth and give the Global South a stronger voice within BRICS.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The weaponisation of technology and critical minerals can hinder our shared progress. Therefore, we have emphasised inclusivity in the adoption of technology,” — PM Modi
- “Under India's presidency, we have focused our efforts on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.” — PM Modi
Why It Matters / Impact
The warning highlights anxiety that strategic resources and emerging technologies could be used as geopolitical tools, potentially constraining emerging economies. By promoting diversified sourcing, resilient logistics and inclusive innovation platforms, BRICS aims to reduce dependence on any single supplier—particularly China—and to ensure that advances in clean energy, advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure benefit a broader set of nations, especially those of the Global South.
What’s Next
The summit’s outcomes, including the early-warning system and supply-chain framework, will be operationalized under India’s BRICS chairmanship. Member states have pledged to continue dialogue on diversifying critical-mineral supply chains and expanding collaborative innovation mechanisms, with implementation timelines to be detailed in forthcoming BRICS working-group meetings.