BRICS Key Platform for Global South: Experts
Experts hail BRICS as a growing Global South platform after the 18th Summit, citing India-China border progress and a $100 billion India-Russia trade goal.
Key Highlights:
- Experts described BRICS as an increasingly important platform for Global South cooperation on the summit's second day.
- SWFI Chairman Lakshmi Narayanan highlighted progress on India-China border issues and a goal to expand India-Russia trade to $100 billion.
- Defence expert Ranjit Rai called the Delhi Declaration significant for global security and reinforcing a multipolar world order.
- Rajshekhar Joshi noted BRICS represents over half the world's population and around 40% of global GDP.
- Industry leaders praised India's hosting of the summit as a boost to its global diplomatic and economic profile.
A Second Day Focused on Strategic Substance
Trade, investment, strategic cooperation and the broader vision of a multipolar world dominated discussions on the second day of the 18th BRICS Summit, with experts and industry leaders describing the grouping as an increasingly important platform for Global South cooperation.
Addressing the Tariff Challenge Collectively
Speaking to IANS, SWFI Chairman and IBRICS 2026 Lead Co-Chair Lakshmi Narayanan offered a pointed observation on the origins of current tariff-related challenges facing many economies, arguing that these pressures were not created by BRICS nations themselves but rather stemmed from the broader global trade environment, particularly the impact of US policy decisions. He said BRICS members had agreed to address these challenges collectively through cooperation and coordinated economic action, rather than each member attempting to navigate the pressures independently.
Three Key Outcomes From the Summit
According to Narayanan, three specific outcomes emerged from this year's summit that carry particular significance. These included efforts to boost both bilateral and multilateral trade among member nations, positive progress toward resolving longstanding border-related issues between India and China, and an understanding reached between India and Russia to expand their bilateral trade to $100 billion. Narayanan suggested these developments could meaningfully strengthen both economic and strategic cooperation across the BRICS grouping going forward, framing them as concrete, actionable progress rather than purely symbolic diplomatic gestures.
