The BRICS summit in New Delhi delivered a 45-page declaration, rightly hailed as a success for India. Reconciling Iran with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and securing consensus on the West Asia conflict was no small feat. Differences within the bloc on the issue did not fracture BRICS or push it towards a more aggressive anti-United States posture. The New Delhi Declaration called for “maximum restraint” and dialogue, while expressing concern over attacks on civilian infrastructure and IAEA-safeguarded facilities – an indirect criticism of Israel and the US for carrying out strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. On Palestine, it largely carried forward last year’s language, while citing proceedings at the International Court of Justice and reminding Israel of its obligation to let aid reach Gaza.
BRICS has built institutions such as the New Development Bank and trade and finance mechanisms. However, its challenge to the dollar-based financial order remains modest. The declaration acknowledges the impracticality of a one-size-fits-all approach even while promoting local-currency investment and trade settlements. India and the newer members are not keen to dismantle the US’s economic dominance. The 11-nation bloc seeks autonomy without breaking with the system it seeks to reform. During its BRICS chairship, India focused on practical deliverables under the four pillars of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. This resulted in initiatives spanning early-warning systems, AI use, geospatial intelligence and data analytics in agriculture, startups, MSMEs, research, energy, and digital public infrastructure. They underlined that politically divergent members can still cooperate. BRICS seeks resilient supply chains, but vulnerabilities exist within the grouping. India’s dependence on China for technology, equipment, and critical minerals is an example. Collective resilience cannot lead to dependence on a stronger member.
New Delhi wants to champion Global South interests and seeks greater representation in world institutions, but not a new geopolitical divide. BRICS gives India space to engage China and Russia while preserving partnerships with the US, Europe, and Japan. It expands India’s choices, but the harder test comes next year when China hosts the summit. President Xi Jinping has proposed a BRICS Special Economic Zone, a services-trade forum, and an AI open-source zone, while calling for integrated industrial and supply chains. India must ensure that BRICS does not become a China-centred alignment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who joined G7 leaders in France earlier this year, will attend the G20 summit in the US in December. India wants neither to abandon the existing order nor to join a China-led one, but to have a voice in both. (Source: DH)
