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The 2025 BRICS Summit, held in Brasília, Brazil, marked a crucial turning point for the bloc amid global economic realignments, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and increasing aspirations from the Global South. With new members onboard and an expanded agenda, the summit showcased BRICS’ growing ambition to act as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions and India emerged as a key architect of this evolving multilateral narrative.
India’s Expanding Strategic Role
India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, played a pivotal role in shaping the summit’s agenda focused on multipolarity, technological cooperation, sustainable development, and trade reforms. As one of the founding members, India’s position has evolved from cautious participant to proactive agenda-setter.
India advocated for:
- Inclusive multilateralism by calling for the democratization of global financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
- Digital public infrastructure collaboration, building on India’s success with UPI and Aadhaar, offering a blueprint to fellow BRICS nations.
- A strong South-South cooperation mechanism, emphasizing capacity building, healthcare, and green energy transitions.
Economic Interests and Trade Alternatives
India pushed for stronger intra-BRICS trade using local currencies, a growing priority since sanctions on Russia and increasing de-dollarization debates. While India remains cautious about a single BRICS currency, it supports mechanisms that diversify trade dependencies.
In his address, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to building resilient supply chains, highlighting India’s “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” missions as opportunities for partnership. He also proposed a BRICS Start-up Network, leveraging India’s booming entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Balancing Act Amid Rivalries
India’s challenge lies in navigating BRICS while managing complex bilateral ties — especially with China. At the summit, Modi avoided direct confrontations but emphasized the need for “respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a veiled but clear reminder of unresolved India-China tensions.
India also used the platform to deepen ties with Brazil, South Africa, and new entrants such as Egypt and the UAE, aiming to build broader coalitions within the group that are aligned with democratic values and transparent development models.
BRICS+ Expansion and India’s Influence
The inclusion of new members (commonly referred to as BRICS+) has diluted Chinese dominance and allowed India to craft mini-alliances within BRICS. Modi called for a “reimagined BRICS” focused not just on geopolitical posturing but on deliverables: digital governance, sustainable agriculture, youth exchange, and cultural diplomacy.
India hosted several side-events, including the BRICS Women Business Forum and BRICS Digital Health conclave, subtly shaping the group’s soft power orientation.
India as a Bridge Builder
The 2025 BRICS Summit reaffirmed India’s central role as a bridge between emerging economies and established global powers. While balancing sovereignty concerns, strategic autonomy, and regional rivalries, India has positioned itself as a key voice advocating for a reformed, equitable world order.
Rather than confronting the West, India seeks to complement it building a multipolar, multi-aligned future where BRICS serves as both a platform of opportunity and a mirror of changing global realities.