DC Edit | Summit Must Focus On Boosting Internal Trade

Source: Deccan Chronicle | Original Published At: 2026-09-12 01:50:08 UTC

Key Points

• Russian President Vladimir Putin said BRICS is "not against anyone" and exists to advance members' interests, citing a 40% share of global output versus 29% for the G7.
• The editorial argues that BRICS' expanded membership and numerical strength alone do not make it an effective institution because members have different political systems, strategic priorities, and relationships with the United States and Europe.
• It identifies weak intra-BRICS trade as a key gap, noting India's trade with the United States exceeds its trade with Russia and Brazil's trade with India is weaker than its trade with the UAE.
• During a bilateral meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin agreed to raise India-Russia trade to $100 billion by 2030 and expand cooperation in defence, critical minerals, civil nuclear energy, fertilisers, and people-to-people exchanges.
• The article notes Chinese President Xi Jinping's arrival in New Delhi for the BRICS summit and a Modi-Xi meeting as a diplomatic breakthrough after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
• It concludes that India, China, and Russia must resolve differences and connect their economies for BRICS to realise its full potential and contribute to a more democratic world order.