The BRICS ‘POWER’ Framework

Context: Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong proposed a ‘POWER’ framework for Greater BRICS, calling for stronger Global South cooperation, closer India-China coordination, and collaboration on AI and supply chains.

About The BRICS ‘POWER’ Framework:

What it is?

• The BRICS grouping—following its historic expansions (BRICS+)—has evolved from an economic dialogue forum into a leading multilateral platform for the Global South, offering an alternative to traditional Western-dominated institutions such as the G-7.
• As India (2026 chair) and China (incoming 2027 chair) hold successive presidencies, the proposed ‘POWER’ architecture outlines five foundational pillars to guide political, financial, technological, and developmental cooperation across emerging markets.

Key Data:

• Demographic Reach: Greater BRICS members encompass nearly half of the global population, providing vast domestic consumer bases and labor markets.
• Economic Share & Growth Advantage: The expanded grouping contributes approximately 30% of global GDP (PPP share exceeding one-third).
  • According to IMF projections, Greater BRICS is set to expand nearly three times faster than the G-7 economies through 2028.
• Trade Integration: BRICS economies account for one-fifth (20%) of global trade turnover, controlling vital global production nodes in electronics, steel, critical minerals, and agriculture.
• Bilateral Normalization Metrics: Reflecting improved bilateral ties following diplomatic consensus, India and China have resumed five direct commercial mainland flight routes and reopened border trade after a six-year hiatus.

The Five Pillars of BRICS ‘POWER’:

• P — Principle (Sovereign Equality & International Law):
  • Uphold the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, including sovereign equality, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes.
  • Counter hegemonic law of the jungle unilateralism by advancing Beijing’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Governance Initiative.
• O — Openness (Safeguarding Multilateral Trade):
  • Defend the rules-based multilateral trading system centered around the World Trade Organization (WTO), preserving non-discriminatory Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) treatment.
  • Resist geopolitical decoupling, de-risking, and punitive tariff walls, while deepening cross-border cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and critical mineral supply chains.
• W — Win-Win (Development-Centric Global Agenda):
  • Place socioeconomic development at the core of multilateral dialogue, driving forward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and shaping the post-2030 global development architecture.
  • Expand local-currency settlements, cross-border payment interoperability, and reciprocal credit arrangements to insulate member states from external financial sanctions and currency volatility.
• E — Engine (Propelling Global Growth & Industrialization):
  • Serve as the growth engine for the world economy by accelerating collaboration in digital public infrastructure, green tech, and smart manufacturing.
  • Advance cross-sectoral integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through platforms such as the China-BRICS AI Development and Cooperation Center and the China-BRICS New Quality Productive Forces Research Center.
• R — Responsibility (Successive Presidencies & Global South Leadership):
  • Leverage the consecutive rotating presidencies of India (2026) and China (2027) to provide policy continuity and structural stability to the expanded 10-member BRICS mechanism.
  • Champion the institutional reform of Bretton Woods financial institutions and the UN Security Council to amplify the voice of developing nations.

Key Challenges in Realizing the Vision:

• Divergent Strategic Trajectories: India views BRICS as a non-Western coalition dedicated to strategic autonomy and multilateral reform, whereas China and Russia often frame the expanded bloc as an anti-Western counterweight.
• Asymmetries in Bilateral Commerce: Despite shared calls for open trade, India faces a severe, structural trade deficit with China exceeding $85 billion, alongside tariff and non-tariff access barriers for Indian pharmaceuticals and agricultural products.
• Geopolitical Frictions on Unresolved Borders: Tactical confidence-building measures (flight resumptions and hotline activations) remain vulnerable to unresolved Line of Actual Control (LAC) delimitation disputes and upstream dam infrastructure along trans-border rivers.
• De-Dollarization vs. Local Currency Mechanics: While member states favor local currency invoicing to minimize exchange volatility, creating a functional, liquid common settlement architecture or common currency remains constrained by capital control disparities and currency convertibility limits.
• Internal Cohesion Across BRICS+: The rapid accession of diverse Middle Eastern and African economies introduces disparate foreign policy priorities, complicating consensus on international security and trade agendas.

Way Ahead:

• Strengthening India-China Multilateral Coordination: Leverage the New Delhi (2026) and Beijing (2027) summits to harmonize a common Global South development agenda while keeping bilateral border management on a stable, de-escalated track.
• Operationalizing Independent Settlement Infrastructure: Enhance the financial resilience of the New Development Bank (NDB) and develop interoperable cross-border payment rails linking national digital currencies (CBDCs) and domestic payment systems (such as UPI).
• Establishing Open Technology Guardrails: Institutionalize transparent, human-centric multilateral frameworks for Artificial Intelligence governance to prevent algorithmic monopolies while bridging the Global South digital divide.
• Prioritizing Critical Supply Chain Diversification: Build diversified, reciprocal supply partnerships within BRICS in renewable energy manufacturing, fertilizer production, and critical minerals to shield member economies from unilateral export controls.
• Advancing Comprehensive Multilateral Reform: Maintain collective pressure for restructuring voting quotas within the IMF and World Bank, while building a unified consensus on expanding permanent and non-permanent representation in the UN Security Council.

Conclusion:

However, transforming rhetorical consensus into durable global governance requires overcoming acute internal strategic divergences and bilateral friction between its two largest members, India and China. If grounded in sovereign equality, mutual economic accommodation, and tangible institution-building, the expanded BRICS partnership can serve as a steady stabilizer for global development and multilateral peace.