Kathmandu. The leaders of the BRICS member countries, including China, Russia, India, discussed various international issues on the second day of the summit in New Delhi on Sunday.
The leaders discussed the world’s economic development, trade, energy security and international cooperation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on the need to further strengthen mutual cooperation among the BRICS member countries.
He said that BRICS is a group that represents a large part of the world population and a significant part of the world economy. According to Modi, BRICS countries represent about 50 percent of the world’s population, 40 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and more than 25 percent of world trade. Leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Massoud Pezeskian discussed global economic growth and various regional conflicts.
Emphasis on inclusive economic growth
Modi said that the main strength of BRICS lies in the diversity and cooperation of the member countries. He said that even though there are countries with different political, economic and social conditions, everyone can benefit from common cooperation. He said that global economic development should not be limited to a few countries or regions but should reach all countries and people.
BRICS is a group established in 2009. Initially, it consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and later South Africa became a member. With the recent expansion, countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have also joined the group. BRICS has been trying to strengthen the voice of developing and emerging economies in international organizations dominated by Western powers. By increasing its influence in the global economy, BRICS is trying to build a common understanding on trade, energy, financial cooperation and international political issues.
Concern over rising tensions in the Middle East
On the first day of the conference, the escalating conflict and tension in the Middle East became a major topic. The BRICS foreign ministers had earlier failed to issue a joint statement in New Delhi in May. The agreement could not be reached after the member states differed on the war in the Middle East. But this time, after a long diplomatic effort, the BRICS leaders have made a joint statement on the situation in the Middle East.
The joint statement expressed serious concern over the escalating tensions in the Middle East and West Asia and urged all parties concerned to exercise “maximum restraint”. India maintains relations with both Iran and Israel, an ally of the United States. Therefore, New Delhi has been pursuing a balanced diplomatic policy on the Middle East.
India’s Energy Cooperation with Russia
There are concerns that the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East will also affect the global energy supply. In such a situation, India has continued its energy cooperation with Russia. Despite pressure and sanctions from the US and other Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, India has been buying energy resources including oil from Russia to meet its energy needs. In this regard, India has been saying that it has adopted an independent foreign policy, prioritizing its national interest and energy security.
C’s visit to India was considered important
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The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit has also been seen with special importance. This is Xi’s first visit to India since 2019. His visit is considered an important step towards improving relations between the two countries as China and India have long had border disputes and strategic competition.
In his meeting with Modi, Xi said that although China and India have different views on many issues, the two countries can benefit from each other’s capabilities and experience. He said that the two countries should increase mutual cooperation and move towards common development.
Border dispute still unresolved
One of the main disputes between China and India is the border dispute. The two countries share a high mountain border of about 3,500 km. Relations between the two countries became more tense after violent clashes between Chinese and Indian troops in the disputed border area in 2020. Since then, both sides have deployed a large number of troops and military equipment along the border.
However, in recent years, the two countries have taken various steps to improve relations. Air flights, visa services and high-level meetings have started increasing again. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Modi and Xi have pledged to seek a fair, reasonable and acceptable solution to the border dispute.
Trade deficit and strategic competition challenges
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Despite efforts to improve relations, there is still a great deal of mistrust between China and India. India has a huge trade deficit with China. At the same time, competition is also intense due to the growing economic and strategic influence of the two countries in Asia. Xi said the two countries should promote high-level financial cooperation, build an equitable and sustainable world order, and advance an open and inclusive world economy.
Increasing global role of BRICS
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The summit has indicated that BRICS is no longer just a group of economic cooperation but is now an important forum to influence global politics and the international order. The BRICS countries are trying to increase their common influence on issues such as the Middle East conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, energy security, trade instability and the world economy.
Leading the summit, India has stressed that BRICS should play an important role in strengthening the voice of developing countries and making the world economy more inclusive. Economic cooperation, global conflict, energy security, trade and China-India relations are among the main topics at the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
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