Context: The 18th BRICS Summit, to be hosted by India in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026, comes amid wars, weakening global governance, shifting alliances and growing competition over emerging technologies.
- BRICS now comprises 11 full members and around 10 partner countries, with its collective economic output in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms exceeding that of the G7.
- Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing are increasingly becoming strategic assets in great-power competition, adding a technological dimension to BRICS cooperation.
India’s BRICS Presidency: Recalibrating the Agenda
- India has followed a broad, nationwide engagement model similar to its successful G20 Presidency in 2023, organising around 350 meetings across Indian cities, including 22 ministerial-level meetings.
- India has framed its BRICS agenda around “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, seeking to give a developmental and people-centric orientation to the grouping.
- Traditionally, BRICS cooperation rests on three broad pillars: political and security cooperation; finance and economic cooperation; and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
- India’s current agenda places greater emphasis on the economic, technological, social and people-to-people dimensions, while major geopolitical questions will ultimately depend on leaders’ deliberations.
- The expansion of BRICS has made the grouping increasingly significant, making sustained cooperation essential despite differences among members.
Building Resilience
- India has promoted the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage to strengthen cooperation in energy resilience and technological capacity.
- The BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework seeks to strengthen the resilience and efficiency of cross-border supply chains.
- Centres of Excellence on Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture aim to promote sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
- These initiatives can reduce vulnerabilities arising from supply-chain disruptions, energy insecurity, climate risks and agricultural stress.
Driving Innovation and Scientific Cooperation
- India has proposed a BRICS Start-up Innovation Fund and an incubator network to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems across member countries.
- A Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) repository can facilitate the exchange of successful digital governance models and technological solutions.
- A science and research repository and initiatives under the BRICS Working Group on research infrastructures and mega science projects seek to deepen scientific collaboration.
- Such cooperation can help bridge differences in research and technological capabilities among BRICS members through knowledge sharing, joint research and capacity building.
Strengthening Cooperation for Inclusive Development
- BRICS cooperation is being expanded to areas such as revitalising the multilateral trading system, education, youth skilling and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
- A network of Centres of Excellence on mental wellness is proposed to promote knowledge sharing and institutional cooperation.
- A BRICS Urbanisation Forum can facilitate exchange of best practices on urban development and management.
- Enhancing the digital capacity of women can improve their participation in the digital economy and technology-driven development.
- The BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal can facilitate networking, information exchange and greater integration of small businesses across member economies.
Sustainability and Climate Resilience
- India is building on Brazil’s previous emphasis on sustainability by incorporating climate and environmental resilience into its BRICS agenda.
- Cooperation areas include combating desertification, an important concern for land degradation, food security and livelihoods.
- BRICS is working towards guidelines for disaster management and forest-fire preparedness to strengthen collective resilience to climate-related disasters.
- The BRICS Forum on Sustainable Aviation Fuels seeks to promote cleaner alternatives in a sector that is difficult to decarbonise.
- India is also emphasising people-centric and community-based climate adaptation, complementing the traditional international focus on mitigation.
- Greater emphasis on adaptation is particularly important for developing countries that face significant climate impacts despite having contributed relatively less to historical emissions.
People-Centric Approach to BRICS
- The central feature of India’s approach is to use BRICS as a platform for knowledge sharing, exchange of best practices, joint research and capacity building.
- This shifts BRICS cooperation beyond geopolitical coordination towards tangible developmental benefits for citizens.
- The approach reflects the broader theme of India’s BRICS Presidency — “Humanity First” — by linking international cooperation with everyday developmental needs.
BRICS and India’s Foreign Policy
- BRICS can help member countries expand their strategic options by providing an additional platform for economic, diplomatic, technological and developmental cooperation.
- A stronger BRICS can contribute to the emergence of a multipolar global order, which is consistent with India’s preference for strategic autonomy and diversified partnerships.
- The growing interest of countries in BRICS reflects the desire of many developing states to avoid excessive dependence on any single geopolitical or economic centre.
Challenges Before BRICS
- BRICS must avoid becoming excessively focused on geopolitical disputes that do not offer clear strategic benefits to the wider membership.
- Significant differences among members on foreign policy, security interests and economic priorities can constrain consensus-based decision-making.
- The grouping’s long-term relevance will therefore depend on its ability to convert its expanding membership into practical cooperation rather than merely political declarations.
