India assumed the chairmanship of BRICS for 2026, making it the host of the annual BRICS Summit. This is a pivotal moment for India's multilateral diplomacy as it seeks to balance competing interests of BRICS member states while advancing the Global South agenda.

India's BRICS Chairmanship Priorities

  • Global South Leadership: India aims to use BRICS to amplify the voice of developing nations, building on its G20 presidency legacy.
  • Non-Western, not Anti-Western: India is presenting a non-Western worldview without being explicitly anti-Western — a delicate diplomatic positioning.
  • Multilateral Trade: India is reframing the contentious de-dollarisation debate as a push to settle bilateral trade in national currencies rather than replacing the dollar.

Key Challenges as Chair

  • West Asia Conflict: Iran (a BRICS member since 2024) is directly involved in the Middle East conflict involving Saudi Arabia and UAE (also BRICS members). India must broker unity among these fractured parties.
  • De-dollarisation Tensions: The Trump administration has threatened 50% tariffs on countries pursuing de-dollarisation. India must navigate this carefully given ongoing FTA negotiations with the US.
  • US-India Tensions: India already faces 50% US tariffs over its purchase of Russian oil, creating pressure to temper its BRICS agenda.

BRICS Expansion Context

  • BRICS expanded in January 2024 to include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Ethiopia, and Egypt, becoming BRICS+ or BRICS-10.
  • The expanded membership complicates India's role as chair, given the divergent interests of new members.

Key Summits India Hosts in 2026

  • BRICS Summit 2026 (chair)
  • AI Impact Summit 2026
  • Possibly the Quad Summit (postponed from 2025)

Significance for RAS Exam

BRICS is a vital international organisation for current affairs. India's 2026 chair role — managing tensions between Iran, Saudi Arabia, the US, and Russia — exemplifies India's strategic autonomy policy.