17th BRICS Summit 2025: Highlights, Challenges & Way Ahead

Context (PIB): The 17^th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio, hosted by Brazil, marked a key moment in global multilateralism, with the Rio Declaration calling for a just, multipolar world under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”

Expansion and Inclusion: Indonesia inducted as a full BRICS member and eleven partner nations were also added. It signals BRICS’ evolution into a broader Global South platform, boosting diplomatic reach and normative influence.
Reforming Global Governance: Called for restructuring of UN, IMF, and World Bank to reflect current global realities. China and Russia reaffirmed support for India and Brazil’s permanent UNSC membership.
AI Governance: BRICS Leaders’ Statement on Artificial Intelligence promoted ethical, inclusive development and capacity-building in Global South.
Climate Finance: Declaration on Climate Finance called for concessional, predictable, and accessible funds from developed nations, launch of a BRICS Climate Research Platform.
- India pledged support for COP30 in Brazil and offered to host COP33 in 2028.
Global Trade, Finance, and Economic Sovereignty: Demanded quota reforms in IMF and equity in World Bank shareholding for EMDEs. Strengthened the New Development Bank (NDB) for local currency lending and climate financing.
Innovative Economic Tools: Launched BRICS Multilateral Guarantees (BMG) to de-risk investments and BRICS Cross-Border Payments Platform for financial sovereignty.
Human Development: Launched Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases.

About BRICS

BRICS Formation: Established in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India & China as founding members.
South Africa’s Entry: South Africa joined the bloc in 2010, expanding it to BRICS.
Recent Expansions: In 2023, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE joined the group, with Saudi Arabia invited but not yet joined.
Current Membership: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Indonesia.

Read in depth about BRICS.

Global Weight: With 11 member countries, BRICS represents nearly 50% of the world’s population and about 40% of global GDP.
Diverse Yet Cohesive: Unlike the ideologically aligned G7, BRICS brings together nations with varied political systems and economic models making it both resilient and complex.
Multilateral Shield: In an era marked by U.S. retreat from global leadership and weakening of institutions like WTO & WHO, BRICS offers its members strategic autonomy & a collective bargaining platform.
South-South Solidarity: It strengthens cooperation among developing nations, boosts global standing, and presents an alternative vision of global governance amid a shifting multipolar order.

US Dollar Alternatives: Russia and China have explored alternatives to the US Dollar, although India remains an exception.
Exclusion of the US: BRICS is a major international group that does not include the United States.
US Concerns: Former US President Donald Trump warned BRICS against creating a new currency or supporting alternatives to the US Dollar.

Institutional Capacity Building: Strengthen secretariats and working groups within BRICS for implementation.
Global South Solidarity: Coordinate positions in global forums like the WTO, IMF, COP, and UNGA.
Economic Resilience: Develop alternatives to Western payment systems, credit rating agencies, and development finance.
Human-Centric Development: Deepen cooperation in public health, education, and technology transfer to close development gaps.

Multipolar World Order: BRICS was conceived as a counterweight to the West-led global governance model. India saw it as a platform to demand reforms in multilateral institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
Voice of the Global South: The bloc provided an avenue for India to amplify the concerns of the Global South and build south-south cooperation.
Infrastructure Financing: Through the New Development Bank (NDB), India aimed to leverage BRICS membership to access funding for domestic infrastructure.

Economic Asymmetry: China’s economy ($17.79 trillion) is nearly five times that of India ($3.56 trillion), giving Beijing disproportionate influence over the BRICS agenda.
Chinese Leverage: China has used BRICS to push its own strategic aims such as de-dollarisation and expansion of the bloc, in ways that don’t always align with India’s interests.
New Development Bank (NDB): While India has accessed funds, China’s dominance in shaping the bank’s agenda especially linking it with the Belt and Road Initiative raises concerns about hidden geopolitical costs.
Limited Foreign Policy Gains: Despite India’s long-standing efforts, joint declarations (e.g., on terrorism) have often reflected China’s preferences, even avoiding naming Pakistan, undermining India’s core diplomatic positions.
Contradictory External Alignments: India’s most significant trade, technology, and strategic partnerships lie outside BRICS with the US, EU, and Japan. Yet, it remains engaged in BRICS and other China-led forums like SCO.
- This dual posture reflects a deliberate geopolitical hedge, balancing Western partnerships with strategic presence in alternate coalitions.

Stay Engaged, Not Isolated: Exiting forums like BRICS or SCO could diminish India’s leverage in shaping global rules, especially when entry into elite Western clubs like the G7 remains uncertain.
Leadership Among Equals: Unlike China’s transactional “G77 plus China” stance, India shares genuine developmental solidarity with the Global South.
- India can position itself as a bridge between the Global South and the industrialised North.
Thematic & Regional Engagements: Continued participation in IBSA, QUAD, IPEF, SCO, and BRICS allows India to shape discussions on varied themes from digital governance to climate finance.
Bilateral Over Bloc Leadership: India can wield more direct influence through targeted bilateral partnerships with Africa, Latin America, and ASEAN nations outside China-dominated multilateral forums.
Principled Pluralism: India must act as a voice for equity and reform, without being pulled into rigid East-West binaries. A values-based yet flexible approach enhances credibility.
Building Parallel Coalitions: India should also strengthen groupings like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), I2U2, and G20 for targeted economic and diplomatic outcomes.