Brics summit in Delhi: Not Western, but not against the West

India's capital Delhi has turned into a fortress because this weekend the heads of state and government of the so-called Brics states announced their arrival. “Not Western, but not anti-Western,” is how Indian China expert Srikanth Kondapalli describes the alliance. And his words sum up the contradiction quite well. China and Russia want to push back the influence of Western-dominated institutions. India insists on strategic independence and seeks closer ties with the West. At the same time, emerging markets are dependent on growth and exports to the USA and Europe.

How these different interests fit together will now become clear at the 18th summit. India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China's head of state Xi Jinping, who is visiting India for the first time in seven years. Also expected are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian and UN Secretary General António Guterres. Among the few women on the guest list is Uganda's Vice President Jessica Alupo. Uganda is a Brics partner but not a member.

Brics has changed a lot since its beginnings 20 years ago. The informal group of Brazil, Russia, India and China became an alliance with eleven members, the development bank NDB and ten partner states. The Brics states account for almost half of the world's population and, according to the Indian presidency, around a quarter of world trade. India and China also see the alliance as a platform to gain more influence for both themselves and the Global South.

Brics states make up almost half of the world's population

Delhi will therefore focus on trade and investment, technology, energy and food security and more resilient supply chains. The projects include a start-up network or an innovation fund. Trading less in US dollars is apparently also up for debate. “The short-term goal is to promote settlement in local currencies,” Tianjiao Jiang from Fudan University told taz. Despite strong growth, trade within the Brics states still only accounts for around 5 percent of world trade, says Kim Catechis from the Franklin Templeton Institute. This shows “significant untapped potential”.

For Xi, it's about the relationship with the host. The cautious rapprochement between India and China began at the Brics summit in 2024. At that time, Xi and Modi formally met again for the first time in five years. Since then, dialogue channels have been revived, direct flights and tourist visas have been resumed and investment restrictions have been relaxed.

But there can be no talk of complete normalization yet, says Kondapalli. After the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, India severely restricted Chinese investments. A comprehensive military de-escalation is still pending. India's trade deficit with China and mutual market access are also likely to play a role in the talks. Xi's participation is also a signal to expand Brics as an international platform, says Jiang. China will take over the presidency in 2027. Despite conflicts, it is “essential for China, India and Russia to coordinate against a larger geopolitical backdrop.” The collaboration could become a driving force for Brics.

The Iran War could become a test case. The alliance includes two states, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose relations are severely strained. At the same time, rising energy, food and fertilizer prices are particularly hitting the countries of the Global South, says Kondapalli. A Brics declaration alone will have little impact on the war as long as the USA and Israel are not at the table. Nevertheless, India will try to reach a final declaration.

India has organized its fourth Brics chairmanship under the theme “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The summit should show whether the increased political weight will result in more economic cooperation and where the alliance of these very different states is developing.