The 17th BRICS Summit in Rio marked the first meeting with newly inducted members and took place amid heightened geopolitical tensions and growing global debate over BRICS' push for de-dollarisation and strategic autonomy.

Geopolitical Context and Strategic Challenges

• First Summit with Expanded Membership:This was the first BRICS summit including new entrants such as Egypt, UAE, Iran, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, signaling a shift towards enhanced representation of the Global South. Saudi Arabia, although invited, has yet to formally join.
• Tensions with the U.S. and G7 Bloc:The summit followed key developments including the G-7 summit in Canada, US-Israel strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, and BRICS facing backlash from U.S. leadership accusing the bloc of pursuing an “anti-dollar” and “anti-American” economic agenda.
• Intra-BRICS Differences on Global Governance:Internal differences persist — especially over UN Security Council reforms — as April’s BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meet ended without consensus, notably due to resistance from African nations on expansion modalities.

Strategic Outcomes and Diplomatic Balancing

• Strong Language on Geopolitical Conflicts:The Rio Declaration condemned the attacks on Gaza and Iran, emphasizing nuclear safety and humanitarian concerns. India inserted references to cross-border terrorism and the Pahalgam attack in the joint statement.
• Diplomatic Gains for India and Brazil:India and Brazil secured collective BRICS support for expanded roles at the UN, including Security Council reform, enhancing their diplomatic positioning on multilateral platforms.
• Space for Middle-Power Voices:The absence of leaders from Russia and China provided diplomatic bandwidth for non-P5 BRICS members (India, Brazil, South Africa) to push resolutions on climate change, WTO reform, and energy security.

Future Trajectory and India's Leadership Opportunity

• India’s Upcoming BRICS Presidency:India is set to chair BRICS in 2026, with an opportunity to consolidate gains from the Rio Summit, especially on counter-terrorism, energy resilience, and digital cooperation.
• Emerging Economic Clout of BRICS:BRICS now accounts for nearly 40% of global GDP, 25% of world trade, and half of the global population, giving it unprecedented weight in international economic negotiations.
• Strategic Vision and Acronym Recast:India redefined BRICS as “Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability”, aligning it with developmental and climate-resilient goals amidst growing calls for a multipolar world.

Practice Question:

"In light of the recent expansion of BRICS membership and the outcomes of the 17th BRICS Summit, critically examine the grouping’s potential to offer a credible alternative to the Western-led global order. What are the internal and external challenges it faces in fulfilling this role?"   (250 words)