Is BRICS Becoming a China-Centred Trading Ecosystem?

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Source: Outlook Business | Original Published At: 2026-09-12 08:04:53 UTC

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with the expanded 11-member grouping entering the summit with a larger economic footprint.
A Rubix Data Sciences report says China's share of BRICS merchandise exports rose from 56% in 2022 to 66% in the first half of 2026, while its share of BRICS imports rose from 54% to 59%.
In 2025, BRICS countries accounted for about 24% of global merchandise exports and 19% of global merchandise imports, with total BRICS exports near $6.1 trillion.
India accounted for about 8% of BRICS exports in the first half of 2026, while China's exports to India rose 21.5% year on year to $79 billion.
India's goods imports from other BRICS members reached about $178 billion in the first half of 2026, compared with exports of about $48 billion, with the largest trade deficits recorded with China and Russia.
Bilateral goods trade between China and Russia reached $133 billion in the first half of 2026, up 25.5% year on year.
An ISDP report says BRICS expansion gives India a wider Global South constituency but complicates coalition management, including preventing BRICS from becoming identified with one country's initiatives.