India’s Strategic Gains At BRICS 2024: Navigating Multipolarity And Global Leadership – Analysis
The BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, held in 2024, marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the group, with India emerging as a pivotal player.
India’s strategic diplomacy at this summit was a testament to its growing influence in the shifting global order, where emerging economies are vying for a more prominent role in global governance. India deftly balanced its national interests while promoting multilateralism, a feat that underscored its vision of an inclusive and multipolar world.
Strategic Positioning in a Changing World Order
India has long advocated for a multipolar world, emphasizing the need for reforms in global governance institutions to reflect the realities of the 21st century. At the Kazan summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the call for reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The idea is not just to seek greater representation for India and other BRICS members, but to create a more equitable system that better addresses the needs of emerging and developing economies.
India’s advocacy for global governance reforms also reflects its strategic aspirations. As one of the world’s largest economies, India has increasingly demanded a voice in institutions that shape international financial policies, climate action, and peacekeeping missions. Reforming the UNSC, where India has long sought a permanent seat, remains a key objective. With the support of BRICS members, particularly Russia and South Africa, India has positioned itself as a leader in pushing for these critical changes.
India's Exclusion from the UNSC: A Persistent Challenge
One critical issue that has continually frustrated India is its exclusion from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a permanent member. Despite being the world’s largest democracy and home to nearly 18% of the global population, India remains absent from the elite decision-making circle of global governance. This exclusion is not only unjustifiable based on India's demographic and economic contributions but also undermines the legitimacy of the UNSC, which continues to reflect the post-World War II balance of power.
India’s consistent push for UNSC reforms has not yielded significant results, primarily due to resistance from the current permanent members (P5), particularly China. This continuous marginalization has led India to explore alternative forums like BRICS, which serve as platforms for influencing global policy and reforming the current order. The Kazan summit reiterated India’s stance that emerging powers like itself deserve a more prominent role in international decision-making bodies.
For India, BRICS represents more than just a coalition of emerging economies; it is a ray of hope for India and other developing and underrepresented countries. BRICS offers an alternative to Western-dominated institutions like the UNSC, where India’s aspirations have long been sidelined. By championing BRICS as a platform for the Global South, India is positioning itself as a leader advocating for the interests of smaller nations, particularly those in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which also suffer from exclusion in global governance.
BRICS Expansion and Economic Diplomacy: New Pathways for Cooperation
The expansion of BRICS, including six new members Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE was a watershed moment in the bloc’s history. India supported the expansion, seeing it as an opportunity to broaden the group’s economic and geopolitical influence, especially in regions like Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, where India has growing interests.
- Energy Security and Strategic Partnerships: India’s energy security concerns were central to its diplomatic engagement at the summit. With the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE, BRICS now boasts some of the world’s largest oil and gas producers. This presents India with an opportunity to negotiate better energy deals, ensuring long-term access to affordable energy supplies. Saudi Arabia’s entry, in particular, offers India a chance to deepen its strategic ties with the Gulf nation, which is already a crucial partner in energy and investment.
Iran's inclusion is also significant, as it opens doors for greater cooperation on the Chabahar Port project. Chabahar is a critical element in India’s regional strategy, providing access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Strengthening ties with Iran through BRICS could accelerate connectivity projects and trade routes, enhancing India’s presence in Central Asia a region increasingly under Chinese and Russian influence.
- Expanding Influence in Africa: The addition of Egypt and Ethiopia strengthens India’s foothold in Africa, a continent that has become a focus of global competition. India has been actively engaging with African nations through platforms like the India-Africa Forum Summit, focusing on sectors such as technology, healthcare, and education. Africa’s growing strategic importance, especially in terms of natural resources and market potential, aligns with India’s long-term goals of expanding its trade and investment footprint in the region.
Moreover, Egypt’s membership offers India a gateway to North Africa and enhances cooperation in areas like counterterrorism, defense, and infrastructure development. Ethiopia’s inclusion, as the seat of the African Union and a major player in East African geopolitics, further consolidates India’s diplomatic reach in the continent.
China-India Relations: Diplomacy Amidst Strategic Competition
At the Kazan summit, one of India’s significant diplomatic achievements was the apparent thaw in relations with China. Despite the lingering tensions over the 2020 border clashes, the summit provided an opportunity for dialogue, with Russia playing a mediating role. India recognizes that stability with China is critical, both for regional security and for ensuring the success of broader BRICS initiatives.
India’s approach to China within BRICS, however, remains cautious. While it values the economic and trade opportunities within the bloc, it is wary of China’s growing assertiveness, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Through initiatives like the Quad, India continues to build strategic alliances aimed at counterbalancing Chinese influence. Nevertheless, the two nations’ shared interests in BRICS, especially in areas like trade, infrastructure development, and multilateralism, provide a platform for cautious cooperation.
Economic Engagement and Trade Partnerships
India’s growing economy and its emphasis on technological innovation were central to its contributions at the BRICS summit. India’s tech-driven development agenda aligns well with the group’s goals of increasing intra-BRICS trade and investment. Prime Minister Modi’s call for closer cooperation in areas such as digital infrastructure, green energy, and financial technology was well received, positioning India as a leader in these fields within the bloc.
India’s booming tech sector, which has seen rapid growth in areas such as artificial intelligence, fintech, and digital payments, stands to benefit from greater collaboration with BRICS partners. India’s leadership in Unified Payments Interface (UPI) systems and its pioneering role in digital public goods were highlighted at the summit, offering a model for other BRICS nations to emulate. Expanding such cooperation could boost India's trade, especially in digital services, across BRICS economies.
The BRICS Currency: A Game-Changer for Global Trade
One of the most discussed proposals at the summit was the idea of a BRICS currency to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. For India, this proposal carries significant economic and geopolitical implications:
- Mitigating Dollar Dependency: India, like other BRICS nations, has long been exposed to the vagaries of U.S. monetary policy, particularly the fluctuations of the dollar. A BRICS currency could offer an alternative for settling trade transactions, thereby reducing the volatility that comes with dollar-based trade. This could be particularly beneficial for India’s oil imports from BRICS nations like Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
- Geopolitical Leverage: A BRICS currency would also provide India with a tool to bypass Western sanctions on countries like Russia and Iran, ensuring that trade and energy cooperation can continue without being affected by external pressures. Such a development could shield India from economic disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, allowing it to maintain a steady flow of crucial imports and exports.
- Strengthening the Rupee’s International Role: India has been pushing for greater internationalization of the rupee, and the introduction of a BRICS currency could complement these efforts. By creating a more diversified global currency landscape, India can position the rupee as a stable currency for trade, especially within the developing world.
Counterterrorism Cooperation and Regional Security
Counterterrorism has been a priority for India in its BRICS engagements, and the Kazan summit was no exception. India called for enhanced intelligence-sharing and cooperation to combat terrorism, which remains a critical security concern in South Asia. The inclusion of new members from the Middle East and Africa also provides India with new avenues to collaborate on counterterrorism efforts, especially given the cross-border terrorism threats it faces from Pakistan. India’s push for stronger multilateral frameworks within BRICS to tackle terrorism underscores its broader security objectives. BRICS offers a platform for India to address not only regional security issues but also to influence global counterterrorism norms and practices.
Conclusion
The BRICS 2024 Kazan Summit marked a defining moment for India’s global diplomacy. By advocating for expansion, promoting reforms in global governance, and supporting initiatives like the BRICS currency, India has reinforced its role as a key architect of a more inclusive and multipolar world order. Its diplomatic balancing act navigating complex relationships with China and Russia while maintaining strong ties with the West showcases India’s pragmatic and forward-looking foreign policy. As BRICS continues to evolve, India’s leadership in shaping the group’s direction, especially in areas like economic cooperation, and energy security.
About the authors:
- Prof. (Dr.) Jagmeet Bawa: Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India. Dr. Bawa brings with him a rich experience of 15 years in teaching and research. His expertise lies in the domains of Indian Political System and Central Asian Politics. Before his current position, he taught for a decade at I K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, India. Throughout his academic journey, he has guided ten students toward the successful completion of their Ph.D. degrees. Additionally, Dr. Bawa’s scholarly contributions extend to the realm of publications, with five books authored and over 30 research papers penned. His pursuit of academic excellence has taken him across various countries, where he has engaged in academic and research activities. Presently, his focus lies on Central Asian Politics, with four students currently pursuing their doctoral degrees under his guidance on this very subject.
- Dr. Balinder Singh: Research Scholar and Academic. Ph.D. in Political Science, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India.