By Bhasha Singh
What impact will the 18th BRICS Summit, being held under India’s chairship, have on the world order? At a time when clouds of war are gathering across the world, what hope can this summit offer? These are some of the crucial questions in the current tense geopolitical scenario. It is particularly significant that at a time when the US-Iran war is intensifying again and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, the presidents of Iran and Russia are coming to India and holding separate talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In geopolitical terms, these meetings are likely to send a very different message to the United States.
The 18th BRICS Summit, to be held in the national capital, New Delhi, on September 12 and 13, is not only diplomatically significant but also fraught with major challenges. The biggest challenge is maintaining a balance between China-Russia and the United States. While Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping want to use this platform to strengthen the Global South in world diplomacy, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he is uneasy with BRICS and has expressed his displeasure with the grouping on several occasions. In such a situation, India wants to lead BRICS without choosing any one side. The summit is taking place on the 20th anniversary of BRICS at a time of considerable geopolitical uncertainty and upheaval in global diplomacy. The theme of the 2026 BRICS Summit under India’s chairship is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, which in itself is challenging in an environment marked by wars and growing tensions.
The participation of the Chinese and Russian presidents in the summit in New Delhi makes it even more significant. The 11 BRICS countries account for around 49.5 per cent of the world’s population, about 40 per cent of global GDP and nearly 26 per cent of global trade. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is an intergovernmental forum that coordinates positions on global, economic, financial, developmental and political issues. Following its expansion in 2024-25, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia also became members. BRICS now has 11 member countries, bringing together some of the world’s major emerging markets and developing countries.
While the BRICS Summit brings together emerging economies and developing countries, it is likely to take place under the dense shadow of rising global tensions, trade disputes and energy challenges. As the scope of BRICS in global diplomacy has expanded and its claim to a greater role has grown, the world—particularly Western countries—is watching the summit closely. BRICS is identified with South-South cooperation, better coordination among emerging markets, multilateralism and the growing influence of the Global South. In this context, the summit is an important platform for presenting the agenda of nearly half of the world’s population in contrast to US dominance and the agenda largely shaped by Western and developed countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India after seven years has also put China in the spotlight. Efforts by China, Brazil and Russia to reduce dependence on the US dollar and promote alternative payment arrangements are also likely to be reflected in BRICS discussions. After Donald Trump returned to power in 2025, China was the first major target of his tariff war, followed by India. China challenged US dominance through retaliatory tariffs, a path that several countries, including Canada, are now also taking by imposing retaliatory tariffs on the United States. In this context, China’s strategy is likely to be to push BRICS countries towards reshaping the world order through this summit. The BRICS Summit thus provides an opportunity for a rebalancing of power in global politics. Through it, the Global South—mainly developing and emerging countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America—will seek to strengthen its claim to a greater role in global affairs.
This is precisely why India’s role in BRICS is important. India has so far followed a strategy of maintaining balance. But the question is whether the United States will allow this space to remain. India acts as a bridge between competing poles and has kept channels of dialogue open with all sides. India is likely to pursue the same diplomatic approach within BRICS. This is why, alongside India-US engagement, there remains scope for India-Russia and India-Iran dialogue. India’s simultaneous participation in BRICS, the G20, Quad, SCO, IBSA and Indo-Pacific institutions gives it the ability to engage differently across competing geopolitical platforms.
In this context, the BRICS Summit is likely to further strengthen the Global South’s claim to a greater role in world affairs. Developing a broader consensus on trade, technology, energy and payment systems is a priority for all 11 BRICS countries. (IPA Service)
