At the BRICS summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Lula Da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were in attendance. Russia was represented by its foreign minister added by a video message of Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a conversation with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC in the western sector of the India-China border areas. Prime Minister Modi underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing as well as respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship. In this regard, the two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation.
The BRICS joint declaration put forth the commitment and resolve that its members stand to strengthen the framework of mutually beneficial BRICS cooperation under the three pillars of political and security, economic and financial, as well as cultural and people-to-people cooperation. The member states have also committed to enhancing strategic partnerships for the benefit of their people through the promotion of peace, a more representative, fairer international order, a reinvigorated and reformed multilateral system, sustainable development, and inclusive growth. The BRICS summit stressed the importance of encouraging the use of local currencies in international trade and financial transactions between members of the group as well as their trading partners.
The 94-point document adopted at the three-day summit focuses mostly on economic issues and cooperation, while the Ukraine conflict was mentioned only once. The emerging collective power, BRICS has called for maintaining the “open, transparent, fair, predictable, inclusive, equitable, non-discriminatory and rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core.” BRICS expressed its concerns about unilateral illegal measures affecting trade and proclaimed the need for creating a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system that would help end hunger and achieve food security. The BRICS leaders emphasised the role of the New Development Bank (NDB), formerly the BRICS Bank, in facilitating funding infrastructure and other projects in developing countries. The BRICS supports the idea of reforming the UN, including the Security Council, and supports wider representation of the developing countries in the Security Council.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi prioritised the Voice of the Global South in which 125 countries participated by sharing their concerns and priorities. According to G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, the Global South – nations with developing, less developed, or under-developed economies – has the potential to drive two-thirds of global economic growth. Prime Minister Modi proposed to give permanent membership of G20 to the African Union. In doing so, India strategically thinks to broaden the ambit of G20. India has been a staunch supporter of anti-colonial struggles and stood against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The BRICS is not the NAM of earlier times but an endeavour to break barriers, revitalise economies, inspire innovation, create opportunities, and shape the future. By giving special importance to the African Union, India is observing and complementing the growth potential of African economies through its investments and geopolitical interventions in Africa.
It was the land of Africa where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi experimented with his powerful concepts of non-violence and peaceful resistance. India has accorded high priority to its relations with the opening of 16 new embassies in Africa.
India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner and the fifth-largest investor. India has invested in Africa in terms of power projects, sugar plants, technology parks, defence academies and colleges. India has provided 15,000 scholarships in tele-education and telemedicine. Nearly 4400 Indian peacekeepers are contributing to peace and stability in Africa. India was the first responder to Africa in times of pandemic and disaster management. India is working with Africa in the fight against terrorism and piracy.
The first BRICS summit was held at a juncture when the world was battling an economic crisis in 2009. This summit is held at a time when the world is grappling with post-COVID challenges, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and economic challenges. At the 15th BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Modi put forward the following suggestions for further broadening close cooperation within countries. He mooted the idea of creating the BRICS Space Exploration Consortium. He sought cooperation amongst BRICS countries in education, skill development and technology. He shared India’s experience of DIKSHA in providing digital infrastructure for a knowledge-sharing platform that provides education to children of remote and rural areas. He was always ready to share this platform with BRICS partners. He proposed the joint efforts of BRICS countries for the protection of Big Cats under the International Big Cat (IBC) alliance. He also proposed establishing a repository of traditional medicine among BRIC countries.
India supported the expansion of BRICS membership. The expansion and modernisation of BRICS send a message that all global institutions should adapt to changing times. The inclusion of new members is bound to strengthen BRICS as an organisation and provide fresh impetus to its activities. India welcomed membership of Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and the UAE into BRICS. This grouping is not to be dubbed as an anti-West club but a coalition of like-minded interests seizing opportunities for a better future. India did not welcome the candidature of Pakistan as it has been sponsoring terror and its related activities. India was forthright in not accepting a common currency as it stands unfeasible. There was earlier a similar proposal of having a common currency in SAARC countries which did not take flight.
At the BRICS Business Forum, India showcased its potential as the fastest-growing major economy in the world. There is a consistent improvement in the ease of doing business in India. The implementation of GST (Goods and Services Tax) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has boosted investor confidence. India has made a significant leap in financial inclusion with the receipt of Direct Bank Transfers (DBT) by a click. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is used for transactions. India stands as the country with the highest number of digital transactions in the world. India looks forward to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world.
India stands to gain from the BRICS summit through wider cooperation of its partners. The inclusion of new members opens fresh vistas of opportunity for India.
-The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Presidency University, Bangalore. Views herein expressed are personal.
–The writer is Assistant Professor, ICFAI School of Liberal Arts, ICFAI University, Jaipur. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
