In a complex world driven by diverse competing interests, geopolitical uncertainties, and strategic interdependencies critically serve as harbingers to an unflinching quest for power, convergence and hegemony. However, amidst these undercurrents, the key agendas and deliberations of the premier groupings and forums like BRICS and G-20 carry substance. With a strong voice of the advanced emerging and developing economies within its fold, these groupings increasingly advocate for a fair, equitable and more representative world order. Since the time of its inception and with the subsequent evolution in its priorities and engagements, BRICS (now ‘BRICS Plus’) has undeniably redefined the layers of global cooperative mechanisms with an increased aspiration towards inclusive economic development, democratisation in global decision-making processes, and human-centric globalisation.
In his notable writing- Why Bharat Matters, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, interestingly elucidated that, “Rising powers typically face narrative challenges from the established views of early movers…In the ensuing competition, there is always the possibility of both misunderstanding and misrepresentation…Sections of the world have their views, but we should not be intimidated from having a view on those views. Swimming upstream is the karma of all rising powers…India matters because it is central to the emergence of multipolarity, whether in Asia or in the world.”
Amidst the recent geopolitical churn and global instabilities, India’s BRICS Presidency carries a renewed optimism towards strengthening collaborative commitments, constructive developmental partnerships, and outcome-oriented trajectories for a better world. During the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly expressed that the goal of India’s upcoming chairmanship in 2026 “will be to redefine BRICS as Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.” He also affirmed that, “Just as we brought inclusivity to our G-20 Presidency and placed the concerns of the Global South at the forefront of the agenda, similarly, during our Presidency of BRICS, we will advance this forum with a people-centric approach and the spirit of ‘Humanity First’.”
Key Initiatives and Propositions
Leading towards the said direction, the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held between 14-15 May 2026 in New Delhi, positively welcomed the current chair, viz. India’s priorities “to enhance BRICS strategic partnership, which would lead to strengthening collective resilience, promotion of innovation-led economic growth, advancing sustainable development, facilitation of people-to-people contacts and amplifying the voice for greater BRICS representation in global governance.” While acknowledging the seriousness of current global challenges and the spill-over of economic downturns, the Ministers reiterated their commitment to “strengthening multilateralism, multipolarity and upholding international law” along with enhancing the spirit of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.” They also underscored the credibility and influence of ‘BRICS Plus’, as being a dynamic platform for promoting “dialogue, diplomacy, cooperation, and inclusive global governance.”
Besides, during the First BRICS Health Working Group Meeting in New Delhi, in April 2026, India proposed the inclusion of two new health priority areas, viz. “BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles” and “Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness.” While reinforcing the need for a comprehensive and resilient approach to address the emerging public health challenges, the partner countries (particularly Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia) expressed their firm support towards the Chair’s new health priorities. The Union Health Secretary of India, in her opening remarks, increasingly emphasised the relevance of “adaptability, mutual learning, and collective expertise” in leveraging an impactful health cooperation amongst the member countries.
However, India’s health proposal during the meeting could be significantly seen in continuation to its accelerated global efforts for enhancing holistic wellness and sustainable lifestyle. In this aspect, the statement of the Indian Prime Minister while addressing the “BRICS session on Environment, COP-30, and Global Health” in July 2025 in Brazil, is quite remarkable. He stated, “We are transforming our mindset, our behaviour, and our lifestyle. Guided by the spirit of ‘People, Planet, and Progress’, India has launched several key initiatives — such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (A Tree in the Name of Mother), the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Green Hydrogen Mission, the Global Biofuels Alliance, and the Big Cats Alliance. During India’s G20 Presidency, we placed strong emphasis on sustainable development and bridging the gap between the Global North and South…Guided by the mantra of One Earth, One Health, India has expanded cooperation with all countries.”
Hence, a profound inclination towards the efficacious implementation of sustainable development goals can be broadly perceived to be an underlying force for India’s reformed multilateralism advocacy. Regarding this, Dr. S. Jaishankar, in his 2020 writing- The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, eloquently mentioned that, “…The achievement of Sustainable Development Goals can be for India what the Millennium Development Goals did for China.”
Providing impetus to the guiding principle of “Energy for all”, the BRICS Energy Ministers’ Meeting, recently organised under India’s Chairship, came forward with a remarkable launch of the “BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage.” With an objective to expand energy cooperation and strengthen energy security, the Centre is primarily envisioned to serve as “a voluntary collaborative digital platform for BRICS members to promote knowledge exchange, capacity building, and technical cooperation on smart grids and energy storage systems in support of resilient, reliable, and sustainable energy systems.”
Ways Ahead
While pragmatically dealing with the current global circumstances, India is responsibly steering the BRICS chairship with its well-devised diplomatic collaborations, enlightened normative agendas, and people-centric developmental approach. However, it is also understandable that a heterogeneous grouping with an expanded membership and assorted geopolitical ambitions is likely to have internal contradictions at different points in time and over different issue-areas. Within ‘BRICS Plus’, these differences may seem to be flaring up intermittently in the form of long-standing territorial disputes or disagreements between India and China; the growing China-Russia-Iran axis; the Iran-UAE rift over the conflict in West Asia; strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE; and the disputes between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
In the midst of these strategic ruffles, it becomes indispensable for India to showcase its diplomatic ingenuity with a recalibrated ‘go-ahead’ approach and constructive mode of engagement. Through effective policy-coordinated mechanisms and outcome-oriented actions driven by strategic clarity and communication, India can significantly foster common grounds to ensure tangible deliveries during the upcoming BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. In the light of its multi-vector foreign policy approach, India, as the Chair, can competently strive to cultivate a delicate balance between the competitive and cooperative dynamics of the member-countries, and eventually advance its highly acclaimed principles of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
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