BRICS and India’s Multipolarity Rhetoric

The 15th BRICS summit, a meeting of the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2023. The summit has provided a platform for cooperation and dialogue among the emerging economies that face common challenges and opportunities in the 21st century. The theme of the summit is “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism”.

What are the Outcomes of the Johannesburg BRICS Summit (BRICS @ 15)?

• Reaffirming Multilateralism and Reform: The BRICS leaders issued a joint declaration that reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, international law, and sustainable development. They also expressed their support for the reform of the United Nations and other global institutions to make them more representative and responsive to the needs of developing countries.
• Expanding Membership and Influence: The BRICS leaders endorsed the expansion of the membership of the grouping by inviting 15 countries from Africa and the Global South to participate in a Friends of BRICS meeting.
  • The first phase of expansion: The countries including Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have received invitations to join BRICS. This new membership is set to take effect from 1st January 2024.
    • There are over 40 countries that have expressed interest in joining BRICS.
    • Reasons for the BRICS expansion:
      • China's strategic move for global influence.
      • Wider engagement among like-minded nations for a common cause.
      • Limited options in other groups.
      • Anti-western sentiment and Global South unity.
• Common Currency: The BRICS leaders agreed to explore the possibility of creating a common currency for trade and investment among the BRICS countries.
  • They tasked their finance ministers and central bank governors to study the feasibility and benefits of such a currency, which could reduce their dependence on the US dollar and other major currencies.
• Regional and Global Issues: The BRICS leaders discussed various issues of regional and global importance, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, terrorism, cyber security, energy security, trade, and investment.
  • They called for equitable access to vaccines and medical supplies for all countries and pledged to enhance their cooperation in health research and innovation.

What are the Challenges India Faces in its Engagement with the BRICS?

• Balancing Rival Interests: India has to balance its relations with China and Russia, which are increasingly seen as strategic rivals by the West.
  • China’s rise poses a major challenge and threat to India’s security and interests, especially on issues such as border disputes, maritime security, trade imbalance, technology competition, and human rights.
  • Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine war and its alignment with China have also raised concerns in India about its traditional partner’s reliability and credibility.
• Protecting/Practicing and Advocating Democratic Principles: India has to deal with Western normative expectations, without compromising its autonomy or sovereignty.
  • India does not want to alienate or antagonize other countries in the global South, who may see merit in China’s or Russia’s efforts at expanding the membership or influence of non-western forums such as BRICS or SCO. India has to pursue a pragmatic and principled foreign policy that serves its national interests and values.
• Managing Bilateral Differences: India has unresolved border disputes and strategic rivalry with China and Pakistan, which affect its relations with the BRICS. India also has divergent views from Russia on issues such as Afghanistan, Iran, and the Indo-Pacific. India has to manage these bilateral differences while pursuing multilateral cooperation within the BRICS.
  • India's persistent trade deficit with China has raised concerns about the fairness of economic engagement. This trade imbalance could strain India's economic interests within BRICS and affect its overall economic stability.
• Balancing China’s Dominance: China is the largest and most influential member of the BRICS, with its economic, military, and diplomatic clout surpassing that of the other four members. India has to balance its interests and values with its need to cooperate with China on common issues within the BRICS framework.
• Geopolitical Rivalries: India's complex geopolitical relationships with some BRICS members, such as China and Russia, pose challenges to maintaining a united front on various global issues. Disagreements on regional conflicts and security matters could hinder effective cooperation.
• Developmental Disparities: BRICS includes both developed economies like China and Russia and emerging economies like India and South Africa. Bridging the development gap among member countries to ensure equitable benefits from cooperation remains a significant challenge.
• Coordination on Multilateral Platforms: While BRICS aims to reform global governance institutions, including the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, member countries often have different priorities and approaches to these reforms.
• Varied Security Concerns: BRICS member countries have diverse security concerns, ranging from terrorism and regional conflicts to cyber threats. Aligning these concerns and coordinating joint security initiatives requires careful negotiation.
• Shifting Global Alliances: As geopolitical dynamics evolve, some BRICS members may seek closer ties with countries or organizations outside the group. This can impact the cohesion and collective bargaining power of BRICS on the global stage.

What Are the Possible Areas of Cooperation Within BRICS?

• Cooperation Within the Group: BRICS needs to shed the centrality from China and create a better internal balance, reinforced by the urgent need for diversification.
  • For BRICS to remain relevant over the next decades, each of its members must make a realistic assessment of the opportunities and inherent limitations.
  • The grouping shall also explore the ‘BRICS plus’ cooperation at more levels and in a wider scope.
    • This will increase BRICS countries’ representation and influence and make greater contributions to world peace and development.
• Upholding Universal Security: BRICS countries should be builders of universal security. Seeking one’s own security at the expense of others’ will only create new tensions and risks.
  • It is important to respect and guarantee the security of every country, replace confrontation with dialogue and partnership, and promote the building of a balanced, effective, and sustainable regional security architecture.
  • Also, it is equally important to strengthen political mutual trust and security cooperation, maintain communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns.
• Securing Economic Interests: BRICS countries should be contributors of common development.
  • Facing the rising tide of de-globalisation and the increase of unilateral sanctions, BRICS countries should enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in supply chains, energy, food, and financial resilience
  • Also, it will be useful for BRICS to develop an institutional research wing, along the lines of the OECD, offering solutions which are better suited to the developing world.
• Public Health Governance: BRICS countries should fully leverage their respective strengths, and jointly promote the development of global health governance in a direction in favour of developing countries.
  • India’s vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ contributes to multilateral cooperation on public health.
  • The countries should make good use of the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre, establish a BRICS early warning mechanism for preventing large-scale infectious diseases, and provide high-quality public goods for global health governance cooperation.
• A Global Governance Philosophy: Global challenges are emerging one after another. Coping with these challenges requires coordination among global actions.
  • Safeguarding the international system is essential while ensuring that international affairs have participation by all, international rules are formulated by all, and development outcomes are shared by all.
  • BRICS should embrace a global governance philosophy that emphasises extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, enhance unity and cooperation with emerging markets and developing countries, and increase the voice in global governance.

Drishti Mains Question How do BRICS cooperate and compete with other regional and global organizations? What are the implications of BRICS expansion and outreach for Africa and other developing countries?