India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on 12-13 September, 2026. Though India has held BRICS Summit three times earlier (2012, 2016, and 2021), but India’s challenges in hosting this summit in 2026 are daunting. The main reason is the expansion of BRICS in last two years amidst two significant conflicts-Ukraine war and Iran war, in which two of the members (Russia and Iran) are directly involved. The trio of Russia, China, and Iran would like to turn BRICS into an anti-West forum, because for them the US and the West is the main culprit in these conflicts mentioned above. Brazil may also join this turning as it favours a separate BRICS currency which is the beginning of dedollarization in the long run. Pakistan has close ties with both the US and China, but it has the tendency to move along the direction of the wind. None of the Middle East country including Saudi Arabia is convinced about the viability of US security umbrella, put in place since the WWII. Thus, the main actors of the BRICS are poised for turning BRICS as an anti-West forum.
Only major player to oppose this anti-West turn of BRICS is India and only point in its favour is that India is the host in 2026. How much India would be able to persuade BRICS members to restrain is a matter of diplomatic speculation. It should be recalled that in spite of India’s reservation, BRICS expansion was pushed ahead by China and Russia during the Kazan Summit in 2024. India was in favour of its limited expansion citing the original mandate of BRICS as a group of leading emerging economies of the world. India has clearly stated that there is no plan for BRICS currency or making BRICS aa a forum against anyone.
India has to achieve this objective in order to maintain the balanced ties with the US and the West on the one hand and the BRICS members of on the other. Developing consensus between Iran and the UAE is another problem. In view of these facts, India may just delay the BRICS turning into the anti-west forum for some time but it cannot prevent this in the long run. Next year, BRICS summit is to be held in China. In view of the prevailing conflicts and intense polarization among major powers, the Anti-West push within BRICS is very strong. If India tries to move beyond a limit, she may even be isolated within the BRICS in future!
Image Courtesy: South China Moring Post
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