“They have never met for five years and here they are, at Brics,” UAE-based foreign policy commentator Hassan Sajwani said of the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It looks like Brics is becoming a platform to resolve disputes, bring mutual trust and build trade relations,” Sajwani said. he added.

Images from Modi and Xi’s Brics summit in Russia Five years later, they shook hands and had a bilateral meetingThis development, which coincides with the announcement of military de-escalation in eastern Ladakh, speaks to how India has effectively used the multilateral forum.

Most interestingly, India is the most pro-Western country in Brics, which initially started with just Brazil, Russia, India and China and later added South Africa in 2010. This year, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE also participated. added as a member.

India has used the Brics, which has two of the most anti-American powers – Russia and China – to walk a complex geopolitical tightrope and use opportunities to its advantage. A neutral and non-aligned India is taking advantage of the opposing Bric bloc to advance its economic, diplomatic and geopolitical interests, just as it does by shaking hands with China and conveying a positive message.

And India’s effective diplomacy in using the Brics has been noted by many experts, including foreign policy analyst Michael Kugelman, who wrote: “Ironically, India, perhaps the most Western-oriented Brics member, is the biggest is one of the beneficiaries”. Bricks.

INDIA USE BRICS BEYOND THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

India’s relationship with the Brics extends far beyond the purely economic cooperation that the bloc originally intended. Brics was meant as an opposition to the G7, a Western economic bloc.

The Brics Summit in Kazan showed how the bloc has been transformed into a platform for India to address a wide range of issues, including conflicts, technological cooperation, fighting for an overhaul of the United Nations and, most importantly, repairing India-China relations.

Sky News Arabia journalist Nancy Tabet wrote on .”

“Brics’ priorities are India’s priorities,” foreign policy analyst Michael Kugelman wrote in an article on the BBC News website.

INDIA AND CHINA USED BRICS FOR COOPERATION

Despite the geopolitical rivalry between India and China Thaw in relations since 2020Brics has turned into a platform where two countries can cooperate.

On the eve of the Brics summit last week, where PM Modi and President Xi shook hands, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said India and China had agreed to continue border patrols and return to the situation before the 2020 Galwan conflict.

Beijing, meanwhile, said both countries had “reached a decision on relevant issues.”

The Modi-Xi meeting was the highlight of the summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, if not the highlight.

“The agreement on India-China border control on the eve of the incident and the successful meeting between Xi and Modi in Kazan were important takeaways this year,” Oslo-based Green politician Diplomat Erik Solheim told X.

India’s conciliatory stance with China also reflects its willingness to work with China on issues where its interests align, despite its differences in other areas.

INDIA USES BRICS TO BALANCE WITH THE WEST

India’s participation in Brics largely becomes part of a broader strategy to balance its relations with both Western countries. He also uses Brics as the leader of the Global South.

While India has strong ties with the USA, Japan and Australia through the quadruple allianceIts relationship with Brics allows it to maintain a degree of independence and flexibility in its foreign policy.

“At a time when Delhi’s relations with the US and its Western allies (except Canada) are reaching new heights, this gives India the opportunity to achieve greater balance in its relations with Western and non-Western states.” Michael Kugelman stated this in his article on BBC.

Moreover, India’s purchase of Russian ‘Ural oil’, which could trigger Western sanctions, did not face any reaction from the USA. In fact, the USA has made this clear. We will not impose sanctions on India To purchase and refine Russian oil.

Modi’s visit to Russia, including his participation in the BRICS summit, demonstrates India’s commitment to its historic partnership with Moscow dating back to the Cold War era. And India is paying attention to this relationship, given the level of defense and energy cooperation.

INDIA SHAPES BRICS POLICY, NEW ADOPTIONS ANNOUNCED

India’s influence within the Brics is not limited to its economic or diplomatic weight; it also extends to shaping the ideological and strategic direction of the bloc.

India, which has problems with the unipolar and bipolar world order, praised Brics for providing an alternative. “Brics itself is an expression of how profoundly the old order has changed,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

Within the Brics, India engages with some of its closest allies and traditional rival, but underscores India’s commitment to multilateralism and a democratic global economy as India works with all members.

The recent expansion of Brics to include new members of the group such as Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran confirms India’s goal of a democratic Brics. Meanwhile, all nations have a healthy and cordial relationship with India, which shows how India uses its say to shape the grouping.

India was Egypt’s fifth largest trading partner as of December 2022. Ethiopia is important due to its strategic location in the ‘Horn of Africa’. India, Ethiopia’s second-largest trading partner, is nearing completion of a defense deal aimed at providing military training to the African country, according to a March 2024 report by The Print. growing trade and security partnerIndia-UAE relations need no introduction.

Turkey’s entry into Brics, reportedly blocked by India, signals India’s interest in sharing space with like-minded countries. However, Türkiye rejected India’s claim that it opposed its entry as a partner country of Brics.

INDIA’S VOICE OF THE GLOBAL SOUTH IN BRICS

Under Prime Minister Modi’s vision of becoming ‘Vishwa Guru’ and leading the world, India demonstrates its commitment to the voice of the Global South at the BRICS Summit.

As India strives to “create a more equitable global order” at the Brics Summit in Kazan, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said, “Brics can make a difference for the Global South by strengthening and expanding independent platforms.” expanding options in different areas and minimizing dependence on what can be exploited.

It was noted by Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim that there were discussions about the Global South at the Brics summit. “BRICS is fast becoming the voice of the global South,” he wrote in X.

While the other two Brics powers, Russia and China, are not rivals in the race, India’s democratic credentials, ability to navigate geopolitical trends, ideal location and reputation make it an attractive candidate for leadership Global South narrative.

“The Global South has a high degree of trust and expectation in India,” S Jaishankar said at the end of the Kazan Summit. he said.

India’s participation in Brics is a multifaceted strategy that goes beyond economic cooperation. India has been the only country to make the most of the Brics, using the bloc to work with China, balance its relations with the West, shape the bloc’s ideology and position itself as the leader of the Global South. As the global landscape continues to evolve, India’s ability to manage these complex relationships using multilateral platforms such as Brics will be vital in defining its role as a major player on the international stage.