Introduction:
Asserting that terrorism is the “biggest problem” facing the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there was a need to ensure that countries supporting and assisting terrorists are held guilty, in an oblique reference to Pakistan. Addressing the summit of the five-nation grouping BRICS via video-conferencing, the prime minister also said there was a need to tackle the problem of terrorism in an organised manner. The 12th BRICS summit, hosted by Russian president Vladimir Putin, was also attended by Chinese president Xi Jinping, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa. Talking about the COVID-19 crisis, PM Modi said India’s vaccine production and delivery capabilities will work in the interest of humanity. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed PM Modi’s emphasis on terrorism, saying some countries were like the “black sheep of the family”. The Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) grouping adopted a new counter-terrorism strategy.
Highlights and India’s stand at the summit:
- India put forward the concern of increasing terrorism in the world and stated that the biggest problem that the world is currently facing is ‘terrorism’. There’s a need to confront the countries which support and sponsor terrorism must be held accountable and the problem must be addressed in a unified manner.
- India highlighted the issue of credibility and effectiveness of the institutions which are important for global governance and urged other BRICS members for the support.
- India underscored the issue of cooperation amongst the BRICS partners on the production of the COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, the scope of trade improvement amongst the BRICS nations was highlighted by India.
- India introduced Aatmanirbhar Bharat or the self-reliant campaign to its BRICS partners.
- Under this campaign, India delivered essential medicines to more than 150 countries because of the capability of the Indian Pharma Industry.
- All counrries supported the BRICS counter-terrorism strategy.
- All have offered to cooperate with the BRICS member nations for the production of the COVID-19 vaccines.
India and BRICS:
- From the Indian perspective, BRICS has emerged the voice of developing countries, or the global south.
- With raising challenges on issues from WTO to climate change, New Delhi believes BRICS has to protect the rights of the developing countries.
- India has to maintain the balancing act between Russia-China on the one side and the US on the other.
- India should move closer to Latin America.
- BRICS has put counter-terrorism on top of the agenda, this has been a success for India.
- India is making efforts to address glaring gaps in areas such as counter-terrorism, the fight against climate change and UNSC reform
- India was the main BRICS country behind the establishment of the NDB and proposed the idea at the fourth BRICS summit in New Delhi.
- 2021 BRICS Summit is scheduled in India.
Challenges:
- Where BRICS has failed its founders is in the vision of interdependence between the five countries
- Economic slowdown in all countries
- Despite their combined population accounting for 40% of humanity, intra-BRICS trade still makes up just 17% of world trade.
- The New Development Bank’s (NDB) vision to ‘supplement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development’ remains far away from realisation.
- So far the only members of NDB are its founders and its own limitations.
- Lack of transparency and good governance among member States with the bank.
- Politically, these countries are not all on the same page at the same time.
- China has been shielding Pakistan and has been uneasy discussing the issue of terrorism on this platform.
- Lack of a binding ideology, bilateral differences, diversity in terms of socio-cultural and political systems
- China’s overwhelming presence, which reduces the space for other countries in the grouping.
Conclusion:
- BRICS should promote comprehensive development of all states both big and small and enhanced mutually beneficial cooperation among them on the basis of shared interests.
- A civil society dialogue is much needed.
- BRICS nations should strive for peaceful and politico-diplomatic settlement of crisis and conflict in various regions of the world.
- BRICS, being one of the pillars of the emerging fairer polycentric world order, plays an important stabilising role in global affairs.
- Democratization of international issuese agreements on global agendas should be reached with the widest and equal participation of all stakeholders and be based on universally recognised legal norms.
- The principle of respect for cultural and civilizational diversity of the world should be a top priority.
- In the storming ocean of world politics, BRICS can contribute significantly in maintaining international stability and ensuring global economic growth and becoming a united centre of the multipolar world.
