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Op-Ed SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | The Indian Eye 14

BRICS and the Battle

to Shape a New World Order

As wars, sanctions and great-power rivalry reshape the international system,

India’s BRICS summit comes at a crucial moment for the Global South.

ASHISH K SINGH

he international system is in
a state of flux, if it is not being
Twrecked from within. The so-
called rules-based order lies in tatters,
and there is little clarity about the new
rules being written. But a big majority
of countries in the Global South are
questioning the world order created by
the West. They are demanding a great-
er say in deciding what comes next.
It is against this backdrop that
India is preparing to host the 18th
BRICS summit in New Delhi – proba-
bly the most important meeting of the
group in recent years. Wars, sanctions,
trade tensions, energy insecurity and
rivalry among major powers have ex-
posed the limitations of a global order
which is certainly in decline. BRICS,
with its expanded membership and
growing economic weight, is increas-
ingly becoming one of the platforms A view of the national flags of countries participating in the 18th BRICS Summit hoisted outside the Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi (ANI Photo)
through which a transition to a new
order is being negotiated. 2008 financial crisis, BRIC emerged ti-American or anti-West alliance. Nor are demanding a greater say in how
The September 12-13 summit will as the economies of China, Russia, In- does it want to see a Chinese-domi- global institutions are run.
test whether BRICS can convert its dia and Brazil proved their resilience nated alternative replacing an Amer- The economic dimension is cru-
growing political and economic weight while helping save the global economy ican-dominated system. India’s inter- cial. BRICS’ geopolitical relevance
into a more coherent voice for a multi- from total collapse. Yet they contin- ests lie elsewhere: in a world where ultimately depends on its ability to
polar world. The grouping now brings ued to have little say in how the inter- power is sufficiently dispersed that no deliver economic benefits. Political
together 11 countries – Brazil, Russia, national order was run. In the past 17 single country can dictate the choices statements about multipolarity will
India, China, South Africa, Egypt, years, BRICS has become a geopolit- of others. A truly multipolar world. have limited impact unless the group-
Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Ara- ical force, with a conviction among its India is deepening its relationship ing can create stronger trade links,
bia and the United Arab Emirates. Its members that its economic weight must with the United States while remain- resilient supply chains, investment
expansion has transformed what was translate into political representation. ing a major defence partner of Rus- flows and technological partnerships.
once essentially a grouping of five ma- The grouping now has 11 mem- sia. It is a member of the Quad while India’s attempt to bring its experience
jor emerging economies into a much bers, representing roughly half of the sitting alongside China in BRICS and with Aadhaar, UPI and digital public
broader representation of the develop- world’s population, around 40 per cent the Shanghai Cooperation Organisa- infrastructure into the BRICS conver-
ing world. of global GDP and about a quarter of tion. It is strengthening relations with sation is significant in this context.
That is where BRICS comes into global trade. Numbers alone do not cre- Europe while expanding engagement For India, hosting the summit
play. Much of the commentary on ate geopolitical power. But numbers of with Africa, the Gulf, Latin America is therefore more than a diplomat-
BRICS, especially in the Western me- this magnitude are hard to ignore. The and Southeast Asia. ic milestone. It is an opportunity to
dia, fails to see the objective and agen- 2025 Rio Declaration called for a more The world is slowly moving from shape the agenda of a grouping whose
da of the grouping. It is often present- “just, sustainable, inclusive, represen- unipolarity towards multipolarity. members represent a substantial share
ed as countries sitting around a table tative and stable international order”. But multipolarity is not simply about of the world’s population, economic
and trying to construct an alternative The central question is therefore having more powerful countries. It is activity and energy resources. Coun-
to the West. no longer simply who dominates the about changing who gets to make de- tries that once had little choice but to
The reality is more profound and system, but who gets to shape its rules. cisions. For decades, countries in Asia, accept the architecture of the inter-
nuanced. BRICS is not trying to create That question is particularly im- Africa and Latin America followed national system are acquiring enough
a new world order. The group itself is portant for India. New Delhi does the rules of the global order without economic and political weight to de-
a product of a changed world. Coming not want a new Cold War. It has no meaningful participation. As they gain mand a place in redesigning it.
into existence in the aftermath of the interest in turning BRICS into an an- economic and political weight, they That is the real promise of BRICS.

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