South Africa’s High Commissioner to India discusses BRICS, India’s presidency, global governance reform, trade in local currencies, and South Africa’s exclusion from the US-hosted G20 summit.
Observer Research Foundation Vice President Harsh Pant said the upcoming BRICS Leaders’ Summit will test India’s diplomacy as it seeks consensus among members amid geopolitical divisions and rising Global South expectations.
India is preparing to host the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi and using it to advance its Global South leadership.
Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Indian exporters urged the government to use the platform to secure measurable commercial gains and reduce trade imbalances with member countries.
An opinion column marks 25 years of BRICS and argues that BRICS+ is challenging Western-dominated global economic governance by promoting multilateralism, national-currency trade and alternative financial institutions.
BRICS accounts for nearly 40% of global GDP by purchasing power parity, compared with about 29% for the G7, while intra-bloc trade remains limited relative to the group’s economic size.
The 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi will discuss resilience against geopolitical crises, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, West Asian tensions and US tariff policies.
Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India is expected to emphasize dialogue, practical economic cooperation, and institutional reform while hosting an expanded and diverse membership.
India is promoting cross-border UPI integration within BRICS to lower remittance costs, while addressing interoperability, data-flow, and institutional challenges.
