BRICS: Balancing Unity and Conflict

Synopsis: As India chairs BRICS, the bloc faces a critical test of its unity as new members bring their regional conflicts directly into the boardroom. I am reflecting on the delicate balancing act required to navigate these competing interests while maintaining the grouping's influence in the Global South.

The expansion of BRICS has always been a double-edged sword. While it signals the bloc's growing relevance as a voice for the Global South, it also imports regional rivalries that threaten to paralyze our collective decision-making. Recent diplomatic challenges during India’s chairmanship have highlighted just how precarious this balancing act has become.

The Challenge of Consensus

BRICS operates on the bedrock of consensus. This is its greatest strength—ensuring that all voices are heard—but it is also its most vulnerable point. When two member nations find themselves on opposite sides of a live military conflict, that consensus becomes nearly impossible to achieve. During recent ministerial meetings, we witnessed this first-hand.

Navigating Geopolitical Complexities

As chair, India has found itself in the middle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tirelessly advocated for diplomacy and dialogue, emphasizing that a wider conflict serves no one's interests. It is essential to understand that India's position is not about taking sides. We value our strategic, energy, and security partnerships with the Gulf monarchies, and we concurrently maintain crucial connectivity projects, such as the Chabahar Port, with Iran.

I have previously written about the need for multipolarity and the importance of platforms like BRICS to advocate for reforms in international institutions. However, to fulfill this promise, the bloc must remain focused on long-term developmental and institutional goals—such as artificial intelligence governance, digital infrastructure, and alternative financial systems—rather than becoming hostage to regional military disputes.

Moving Forward

• The Path Ahead: We must ensure that new members fully appreciate the value of the BRICS platform as a constructive space for economic and developmental cooperation.
• Unity over Division: The inability to produce a joint declaration in certain instances does not necessarily mark the end of the grouping's relevance; rather, it reflects the reality of a platform that has evolved into a place where the world’s most consequential issues are actually grappled with, not merely ignored.

Our commitment to a multipolar world remains steadfast. By championing diplomacy and resisting the temptation to let individual conflicts define the collective, we are strengthening the foundations of what this grouping can achieve for the future of the Global South.

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Regards,
Hemen Parekh

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