Freedom of navigation, seafarers' safety key to global economy: PM at BRICS forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stressed that freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers are critical to the global economy, amid growing disruptions to maritime trade and supply chains.

Addressing the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi, Modi said safe and resilient supply chains were essential for global trade and reiterated India's strong support for freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers.advertisement❮❯ Read Full StoryMODI-PUTIN TALKS ON SEAFARERS' SAFETYPM Modi and Putin reviewed the progress of India-Russia cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people ties. They also discussed key regional and global issues, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, which have affected maritime trade and the safety of Indian seafarers. PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin share a moment during BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

He said BRICS countries now account for 50% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP and more than 25% of global trade, making the bloc an increasingly important part of the global economy.

Modi said the combined GDP of BRICS countries had grown nearly 4.5 times, compared with a roughly 2.5-fold expansion in global GDP. He said the economic strength of BRICS had therefore grown at nearly twice the pace of the rest of the world.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the growing role of BRICS countries as hubs of innovation, saying new solutions were emerging across areas ranging from grassroots initiatives to frontier technologies.

Calling the forum, hosted by India, the largest BRICS Business Forum to date, Modi said the grouping's growing scale and economic strength created new opportunities for cooperation.

He also called for greater investment, talent exchange and stronger business partnerships among BRICS countries, urging the business community to turn the bloc's growing economic strength into practical global solutions.- EndsPublished By: Anuja JhaPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 18:23 IST