Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come back happy and very satisfied with the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Finally, after the debacle with the joint statement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) just a few days ago, and with increasing domestic pressure regarding India's diplomatic outreach, the BRICS declaration strongly condemned the gruesome Pahalgam attacks.
The declaration stated that the BRICS "condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured”.
'Principle, Not Convenience'
Reaffirming their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens, the summit reiterated that “terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group, and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with relevant national and international law”. It added, “we urge to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism and reject double standards in countering terrorism." Though the declaration did not name Pakistan by name, this was as strong as it could get.
In his address, PM Modi underscored that there was no room for double standards on a subject like terrorism, saying, "We cannot weigh the victims of terrorism and its supporters on the same scale”. He added, "Condemning terrorism must be a principle, not a convenience."
Who Was Modi Referring To?
Sections of the media remarked that Modi was alluding to the US, which soon after Operation Sindoor invited Pakistan's Field Marshal, General Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House.
Yet another section of the media reported that Modi's messaging was for China, which, it has emerged, was helping Pakistan during the operation by providing real-time intelligence. China has also blocked India's attempts in the UN to sanction Pakistan-based terrorists.
Terrorism aside, the Prime Minister - and by extension, India - has made its mark in Rio. It has established that India's strategic autonomy is not merely a lofty ideal but a practice, and that India remains firmly committed to championing the cause of the Global South.
The summit itself comes at a pivotal time. With its theme of 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance', it comes amid fast-changing global dynamics, increasing unilateral actions both geopolitically and geo-economically, growing protectionism, supply-chain shifts, and fragmentation in the global economy.
It also comes almost on the heels of the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in the US, in which External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar participated. Many anticipated that India would have to do a delicate balancing act to follow this up with its participation in a bloc led by Russia and China, both of which have been seeking to offer a platform that could be an alternative to West-led blocs, specifically the G7. Most importantly, the summit comes as India and the US negotiate a trade agreement as the July 9 deadline looms.
Modi did not mince his words. "The Global South has been handed nothing more than token gestures on climate finance, sustainable development and technology access," he said. Who was he pointing to? No marks for guessing.
Can't Dismiss The BRICS
BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping. From the first meeting in 2009, it has grown from the founding five - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - to now include 10 member states. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined last year, and Indonesia became a full-fledged member state of the grouping, now called BRICS+. All these are major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5% of the global population, around 40% of the global GDP and around 26% of the global trade. Besides these members, the grouping also has a host of partner countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and others.
Brazil, which chaired the summit this year, had picked six strategic priorities for the summit: global cooperation in healthcare, trade, investment, and finance; climate change; governance for artificial intelligence; peace-making and security; and institutional development.
The true raison d'etre of the BRICS countries, however, remains commitment to and advocacy for the reform of Western-led global institutions. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened Sunday's session by repeating the group's long-standing calls to reform the UN Security Council and make it more representative of the Global South.
On Trump's Tariffs
Yet, the BRICS leaders did not shy away from expressing “serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules”, though it did not mention the US. Trump, by the way, has already threatened to impose a hundred per cent tariff against the bloc if it makes any move to undermine the dollar. The declaration noted, "The proliferation of trade-restrictive actions, whether in the form of indiscriminate rising of tariffs and non-tariff measures, or protectionism under the guise of environmental objectives, threatens to further reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and introduce uncertainty into international economic and trade activities...".
The bloc also took a clear stand in condemning the military strikes on Iran and the war in Gaza, though again without naming any country.
PM Modi on his part has done well to be assertive about India's interests and that of the global south. “Today, the world needs a new multipolar and inclusive world order,” he said, adding “In the age of AI, where technology evolves every week, it's unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform.” This strong stance will win PM Modi accolades and reinforce India's commitment to the bloc, something that has come under scrutiny from time to time.
No BRICS Currency - Not Yet
While a common BRICS currency and a BRICS cross-border system, which Russia had pushed for last year, were not under discussion, the group is an economic as well as an energy powerhouse. According to Rubix Data Science, BRICS nations are net exporters, collectively exporting more goods than they import, reflecting their strong production capacities and growing influence in global trade. In CY2024, the total international trade of BRICS countries had stood at $10.5 trillion. Of India's total imports, the share of imports from BRICS nations increased from 35% to 43% between CY2020 and CY2024. This indicates India's higher reliance on the bloc's member countries for fulfilling its import needs.
Moreover, though de-dollarisation has not been explored by the bloc so far, India already conducts bilateral trade with some of the BRICS countries as well as a host of other countries in local currency. In June, at the India-Central Asia Business Dialogue, Jaishankar had also pushed for trade in local currency.
Modi's unequivocal stand as a voice of the Global South will not be lost on anyone as an increasing number of countries flock towards the grouping, hoping for a more equitable and multi-polar world. This is significant also because India will be taking over as the BRICS chair for the coming year. Even Turkish media, usually inimical to India in general and Modi in particular, highlighted Modi's address at the summit, where the Turkish foreign minister was also present as an observer.
For India, then, participation in the bloc should be like a strategic engagement, where the BRICS can act not just as a collective voice of the global South but also as a useful lever to counter disruptive unilateralism in an unequal world.
(The author is a journalist and political analyst)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
