BRICS National Security Advisers Meet to Strengthen Cooperation Against Terrorism and Cyber Threats

National Security Advisers (NSAs) and senior security officials from BRICS countries on Tuesday called for deeper cooperation to tackle terrorism, cyber threats and emerging security challenges, as India hosted the 16th BRICS National Security Advisers’ meeting in New Delhi amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainties. The meeting, chaired by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, brought together top security officials from the expanded BRICS grouping, including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Iranian security official Ghadir Nezamipour. In his opening remarks, Doval said the world was facing a period of unprecedented turbulence and stressed that BRICS had a critical role to play in shaping responses to emerging global challenges. “We are meeting at a very tumultuous time. The world is facing geopolitical uncertainties, economic strains, and disruptive technology,” Doval said. “Not only are the threats compounding, but the instruments and institutional mechanisms are increasingly finding themselves to be inadequate to resolve or mitigate these conflicts. Multilateralism is on the decline,” he added. Welcoming the recent understanding between the United States and Iran, Doval described the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a positive development for global trade and energy markets. “India welcomes the MoU reached between the US and Iran. We have got cautious optimism, and we hope that it will work. It will help energy security,” he said. He also cautioned against the rise of non-traditional security threats, noting that technological disruptions, cyber risks and transnational challenges often outpaced conventional security responses. The BRICS NSAs and heads of delegation exchanged views on a range of traditional and non-traditional security challenges confronting the world. Discussions focused on energy security, food security, supply chain resilience, cyber security, climate-induced instability and the misuse of emerging technologies by terrorist networks. The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the BRICS Joint Working Groups on Counter-Terrorism and on Security in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies. The leaders endorsed stronger cooperation in capacity building, information sharing and coordination among law-enforcement agencies to collectively counter terrorism and cyber threats. “The NSAs/Heads of Delegation reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including through countering the use of new technologies being utilized by them,” the statement said. The participants also expressed full support for India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026 under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Following the meeting, the delegations jointly called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.