New Delhi: Speaking at the 18th BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a carefully worded address aimed at clarifying the grouping's stance on the world stage, asserting that BRICS has carved out a distinct identity while making it clear that it is "not against anyone."
The remarks came against a backdrop of growing speculation about whether BRICS — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and several newer member nations — is quietly positioning itself as a counterweight to Western-led institutions such as the G7, NATO, and the structures of global financial governance dominated by the United States and Europe.
Modi's message was widely seen as an attempt to reassure smaller and middle-income nations that BRICS is not seeking to replace existing global order with a rival bloc, but rather to reform it from within so that voices from the Global South are heard more clearly in international decision-making.
In his address, the Prime Minister highlighted that BRICS has evolved significantly since its inception as an informal dialogue forum. What began as a concept coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 — originally used to describe four emerging economies with growth potential — has transformed into a geopolitical force representing roughly a third of the world's population and a significant share of global GDP when measured by purchasing power parity.
Modi pointed to the group's concrete achievements, including the New Development Bank, which has financed infrastructure and sustainable development projects across member states and beyond, as evidence that BRICS delivers practical value rather than merely serving as a symbolic platform for dissent.
The Prime Minister also underscored India's own emphasis on "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" — meaning "the world is one family" — as a guiding philosophy, suggesting that India envisions BRICS as a bridge-builder rather than a divider in global affairs.
Analysts noted that Modi's diplomatically calibrated language was consistent with India's long-standing foreign policy tradition of strategic autonomy, which has sought to maintain balanced relationships with both Western powers and emerging partnerships without aligning formally with any major power bloc.
The summit itself brought together leaders from across the expanding BRICS family, with discussions expected to cover topics ranging from trade and currency cooperation to reforms in global governance institutions like the United Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund.
World leaders and observers will be watching closely to see how India's messaging influences the trajectory of a grouping that now includes countries from Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, many of whom have their own complex relationships with both Western nations and each other.
