India’s opportunity to put BRICS back together”

GS-II: International Relations | BRICS | Global South | Multilateralism | India’s Foreign Policy | Multi-alignment

Context

• 18th BRICS Summit: The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.
• Opportunity for India: The summit provides India an opportunity to bring coherence and direction to the expanded BRICS grouping.
• Original Objective: BRICS was formed to give Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa a greater voice in global governance, particularly in financial and economic institutions.
• Equitable Multilateral Order: India initially viewed BRICS as a vehicle for reforming multilateral institutions and promoting a more equitable international order.

Emergence of the China Challenge

• China’s Strategic Vision: China increasingly viewed BRICS as a counterpoise to Western domination and as a platform to amplify its global ambitions.
• Global South Outreach: China sought to use mechanisms such as BRICS-Plus and BRICS Outreach to strengthen its engagement with the Global South.
• India as a Counterweight: India increasingly had to balance its original reform agenda with the need to act as a counterweight to China’s larger designs.
• UNSC Reform: India, Brazil and South Africa realised that Chinese support for reform of multilateral institutions was selective, including resistance to their bids for permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

India’s Approach to BRICS

• Consolidation: India increasingly focused on BRICS consolidation and intra-BRICS matters to prevent Chinese grandstanding.
• 2026 Chairship: India’s theme is based on four pillars:
  • Resilience
  • Innovation
  • Cooperation
  • Sustainability
• Humanity First: India’s approach draws upon the vision of “Humanity First” and a people-centric approach to BRICS cooperation.
• Consensus Principle: India and Brazil have resisted attempts to weaken the principle of consensus, which has traditionally helped maintain BRICS cohesion.

Membership Expansion and Cohesion

• Expansion of BRICS: BRICS has expanded to 11 members with the addition of:
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Iran
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Indonesia
• Partner Countries: The grouping also has 10 partner countries.
• New Internal Conflicts: The expansion has introduced new bilateral political conflicts among members.
• SAARC-like Risk: BRICS should avoid the experience of SAARC, where bilateral disputes have contributed to paralysis of the organisation.
• India’s Earlier Concerns: India and Brazil had resisted expansion, but the expansion eventually took place.

Non-West vs Anti-West

• India’s Position: India has attempted to keep BRICS as a “non-West” grouping, rather than allowing it to become an anti-West grouping.
• Increasing Pressure: Geopolitical developments involving China, Russia, Iran and the U.S. have made maintaining this distinction increasingly difficult.
• India’s Strategic Challenge: India faces the challenge of maintaining BRICS engagement while also pursuing its wider foreign-policy interests.
• Shared Interest: Many BRICS members also prefer engagement with multiple actors rather than complete geopolitical realignment with China and Russia.
• Future Direction: BRICS’ future could therefore lie in seeking change without geopolitical realignment.

Broader Global Challenge

• U.S.–China Competition: Both the U.S. and China are advancing parallel visions of the international order.
• Parallel Structures: They are increasingly developing or promoting alternative structures and standards in areas such as:
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Digital and Internet governance
  • Data ownership
  • State control
  • 5G/6G and telecommunications
  • Satellite navigation
  • Electric vehicles
• Challenge to Existing Institutions: Neither is primarily focused on reforming existing institutions in the manner originally envisaged by BRICS.
• China-led Initiatives: China has promoted initiatives such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Digital Silk Road and the World AI Cooperation Organisation.
• Alternative Financial Architecture: These initiatives challenge the traditional Bretton Woods institutions and their governance and financing models.

De-dollarisation and Financial Architecture

• BRICS Currency: The proposal for a parallel BRICS currency has received a lukewarm response from several members.
• Member Concerns: Many members are uncomfortable with a renminbi-dominated currency.
• Alternative Preference: Several members would prefer:
  • Interlinking payment systems
  • Central bank digital currencies
  • National-currency transactions
• mBridge: China is formally launching mBridge, an alternative financial payment system following the success of its pilot project.
• India’s Concern: India does not want an alternative Bretton Woods system dominated by China.

Why BRICS Matters for India

• Global South: BRICS has significant potential to represent the interests of the Global South.
• Middle Powers: India can use BRICS to strengthen the voice of Global South middle powers.
• Multi-alignment: A stronger and more coherent BRICS can support India’s broader strategy of multi-alignment.
• Global Governance: BRICS can serve as a platform for promoting reformed multilateralism.
• Geo-economic Potential: Despite internal differences, the grouping possesses considerable geopolitical and geo-economic potential.

India’s Reform Agenda

• Reformed Multilateralism: At the 2018 BRICS Summit in South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated the vision of “reformed multilateralism”.
• 2019 Brasilia: By 2019, the vision found expression in the BRICS Summit document, with India, Brazil and South Africa pushing the agenda.
• Need for Revival: India now has an opportunity to revive this agenda and make BRICS a stronger voice for non-West middle powers and the Global South.
• Course Correction: The 2026 New Delhi Summit provides an opportunity for India to course-correct BRICS and restore its original rationale.

Challenges Before India

• Chinese Influence: China has disproportionate influence within BRICS despite being different from the grouping’s traditional middle-power character.
• India-China Differences: India and China need greater synergy on emerging global issues even while managing their bilateral differences.
• Internal Conflicts: Bilateral disputes among new members can undermine BRICS’ cohesion.
• Anti-Western Drift: Increasing geopolitical tensions could push BRICS towards an anti-West orientation.
• Consensus Deficit: Departure from consensus can weaken the effectiveness of the grouping.
• Incomplete Representation: Some middle powers that could potentially contribute to BRICS are not represented.
• Competing Global Architectures: U.S.–China competition and parallel institutional structures could divert BRICS from its original reform agenda.

Way Forward

• Restore Original Raison d’être: India should revive BRICS’ original objective of reforming global governance institutions.
• Strengthen Consensus: BRICS should preserve consensus-based decision-making to maintain cohesion.
• Prevent Bilateral Conflicts: Member states should ensure that bilateral disputes do not paralyse the functioning of the grouping.
• Maintain “Non-West” Character: India should prevent BRICS from becoming an explicitly anti-West grouping.
• Promote Reformed Multilateralism: India should proactively advance the agenda of reformed multilateralism.
• Balance China’s Influence: India should work with other members to prevent disproportionate influence by any single country.
• Focus on Common Interests: BRICS should concentrate on areas where members share interests rather than allowing geopolitical differences to dominate.
• Strengthen Global South Voice: BRICS should emerge as a credible platform for Global South middle powers.
• Preserve Multi-alignment: India should use BRICS as part of its broader strategy of multi-alignment, while maintaining engagement with multiple global actors.

Conclusion

The expansion of BRICS has created both opportunities and challenges for the grouping. Internal conflicts, Chinese influence, the weakening of consensus and the emerging U.S.–China rivalry risk diverting BRICS from its original objective.

For India, the 2026 New Delhi Summit offers an opportunity to restore coherence to BRICS by reviving the agenda of reformed multilateralism, strengthening consensus and ensuring that the grouping remains a platform for the Global South rather than an anti-West bloc.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. “BRICS must remain a platform for reformed multilateralism rather than becoming an anti-Western bloc.” In the context of the expanding BRICS grouping, examine the challenges before India and suggest a way forward. (250 words, 15 marks)