New Delhi — Speaking ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar cautioned that the global political and economic landscape is undergoing profound disruption, and India must champion a cooperative approach to steer through uncertainty.
Jaishankar described the current environment as one of deep "churn" — a term he used deliberately to signal that the established international order is not merely experiencing a temporary slowdown but a fundamental reshaping. The BRICS grouping, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and expanding membership including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, stands at the center of this transformation.
In his address, the Foreign Minister stressed that resilience and multilateral collaboration are the twin pillars that can help emerging economies navigate the complexities ahead. He pointed to ongoing geopolitical tensions, trade uncertainties, and structural shifts in global supply chains as factors that make unity among BRICS nations more critical than ever.
The 18th BRICS Summit is expected to address issues ranging from reforming multilateral financial institutions to deepening intra-BRICS trade in local currencies. India has long advocated for a greater voice for developing nations in bodies such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, where voting power remains heavily skewed toward Western economies.
Analysts note that Jaishankar's remarks come at a time when BRICS is grappling with internal contradictions — most notably the ongoing border standoff between India and China, which has tested the group's cohesion despite its rhetoric of solidarity.
Despite these challenges, New Delhi remains committed to leveraging BRICS as a platform to amplify the concerns of the Global South and push for a more inclusive and balanced international system.
