The BRICS —once envisioned as the developing world’s answer to the Group of Seven—has morphed into a sprawling consortium of economic ambitions and ideological contradictions. Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, its recent expansion to 11 members injects fresh complexity into a bloc already teeming with divergent interests. Among its ranks now stand energy exporters like Saudi Arabia and the UAE; importers like India; industrial titans like China; and commodity-rich democracies like Brazil. Add to that moderate states like Indonesia and theocratic regimes such as Iran, and BRICS begins to resemble less a cohesive alliance than a crowded chessboard.
A Coalition in Counterbalance: Managing China’s Influence
Amidst this diversity, a singular concern unites most BRICS members: containing China’s geopolitical and monetary dominance. While Beijing advocates for the yuan’s ascent in global trade, India has vocally opposed the notion of displacing the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency—arguing that currency substitution lies outside BRICS’ purview. Some newly minted members, like the UAE, maintain close ties with Washington, reinforcing a silent resistance to Beijing’s ambitions.
The internal push-and-pull surfaced at this week’s summit in Rio de Janeiro. Leaders collectively criticized the “indiscriminate rising of tariffs”—a thinly veiled rebuke of U.S. trade policy under President Donald Trump. Yet criticism was notably sharper when aimed at the European Union’s carbon border tax policies, labeled “unilateral, punitive and discriminatory.”
Global South and the Tariff Divide
Such varied responses underscore a larger reality: the Global South is fractured. Poorer nations rightly object to diminished access to Western markets, which upends the traditional logic of global trade. But a significant cohort in BRICS quietly supports targeted tariffs on China. For many, loosening Beijing’s grip on global manufacturing isn’t just strategic—it’s essential.
In this context, Trump’s rhetoric—threatening a 10% tariff on any nation aligning with “anti-American policies” of BRICS—appears counterproductive. Rather than isolate China, such statements risk galvanizing BRICS toward the very cohesion it lacks. Ironically, this bolsters China’s argument for greater leadership within the developing world.
Modi’s Global South Gambit: Assertive, Not Anti-American
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s journey to the summit paints a portrait of strategic alignment rather than antagonism. His stops in Namibia, Ghana, Trinidad, and Argentina illustrate a nuanced approach. India’s Global South engagement hinges on diaspora diplomacy, resource partnerships, and supply chain realignment.
- Trinidad’s large Indian-origin population reinforces cultural diplomacy.
- Argentina has become a key exporter of cooking oil to India following Russia’s disruption of sunflower oil trade.
- Ghana’s gold exports to India reflect the South Asian giant’s commodity appetite.
- Namibia’s lithium reserves support India’s pivot toward critical mineral independence.
India may not yet rival China’s global economic influence, but its private sector-led approach—collaborative, localized, and inclusive—is gaining traction. A geographically targeted and sector-specific strategy centered on agri-processing and green minerals could redefine India’s role in the global supply chain.