China and India Compete for Influence Within BRICS

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo, | Original Published At: 2026-09-11 21:14:06 UTC

Key Points

• China and India are competing for influence within BRICS as leaders from both countries engage in summit diplomacy in India.
• China has pursued BRICS expansion as a way to challenge U.S. global power, while India favors a broader bloc that can serve as a bridge between the West and the developing world.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping's participation in the summit marks his first visit to India in seven years, following a period of border tensions and a recent diplomatic thaw.
• India holds the rotating BRICS presidency and is promoting an agenda centered on inclusive global growth.
• Both China and India share dissatisfaction with U.S. tariffs and disruptions to global trade under the Trump administration.
• China's larger economy, technological base, and permanent UN Security Council seat strengthen its claim to leadership in the Global South, while India faces economic and domestic political constraints.