The 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi may be remembered for more than debates over de-dollarization, geopolitical rivalry, and the growing weight of the Global South. Its declaration also carried a quieter idea about how a multipolar digital economy might work: sovereign systems should remain nationally controlled while becoming increasingly interoperable. The New Delhi Declaration placed sovereign digital ecosystems, interoperable Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and artificial intelligence inside BRICS’ broader development agenda. It also welcomed work on a BRICS DPI repository and pilot projects while recognizing the Digital BRICS Forum and the Focus Group on Digital Public Infrastructure. BRICS may not need…