Between the usual mix of trade talk and climate pledges, the New Delhi Declaration issued by Brics leaders also addressed two increasingly urgent issues for the member states— the rise of organised digital fraud operations and the need for coordinated rules around AI.
These operations often use fake investment platforms, romance scams, and fraudulent job offers to defraud victims before laundering proceeds through digital payment channels. He added. Privacy related laws is an issue that is flagged as a hindrance to full fledged cooperation especially sharing of PII information. In any case, from what I read, the declaration seems to acknowledge that cyber crime across various borders are problematic and hard to investigate without cooperation but does not go far enough to chart any roadmap on how to overcome such hindrances.”
“It [declaration] also encouraged countries to sign the UN treaty on cybercrime but interestingly India is yet to sign the treaty whereas 70+ countries have signed.
The declaration, unanimously adopted by the 11 member countries of the bloc on Saturday, expressed serious concern over the proliferation of organised scam networks, specifically citing cross-border operations and alleged “scam compounds” that exploit digital technologies, payment systems, and vulnerable individuals. Sandeep K Shukla, cybersecurity expert and director at IIIT Hyderabad, said that while the declaration flagged cyber fraud, scam compounds in Southeast Asia, cross-border cybercrime, and called for cooperation between Brics countries through CERTs, financial intelligence units and law enforcement agencies, the cooperation on these matters is not binding and rather a show of requirements to solve transnational crimes.
Artificial intelligence featured prominently across the declaration, with applications referenced in sectors ranging from energy grids to tourism. The declaration frames AI as a significant opportunity for economic growth, particularly for developing economies, while emphasizing the need for safety, reliability, and energy efficiency in AI systems.
Leaders underscored that international cooperation on AI should support a “just, fair, equitable and prosperous future,” with particular attention to ensuring Global South countries are not left behind in AI development.
The central commitment, however, was to implement the Brics Leaders’ Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, building on discussions at India’s AI Impact Summit and the World AI Conference held in Shanghai earlier this year.
