Chinese President Xi Jinping stood alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi over the weekend, marking six years since a deadly border clash between their forces along the disputed Himalayan frontier.
The gathering took place at the BRICS summit, an annual forum of developing nations and emerging economies launched in 2009 as a counterbalance to Western-led institutions.
Although tensions persist among some of the bloc’s eleven members, Xi’s first trip to India in seven years underscored a shared goal: securing a stronger voice in global affairs amid today’s shifting political landscape.
Analysts say the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump have injected new momentum into the bloc.
“Much of what drives BRICS members and prospective members is the policy agenda of the Trump administration,” says Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council.
Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik/Reuters
Leaders and representatives from BRICS member states pose for a group photo on the second day of the summit in New Delhi, September 13, 2026.
This development reflects a broader global pattern. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his country is pursuing a “unique alliance” with the European Union amid its ongoing trade dispute with the United States, and he plans to address the EU in Strasbourg later this week.
In the Middle East, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan concluded a defense and security pact last month against the backdrop of the continuing U.S.–Iran confrontation.
BRICS Remains Divided Rather Than a Unified Anti‑Western Bloc
Nevertheless, the disagreements among BRICS members have not coalesced into a single anti‑Western front.
China and India were not alone in seeking to bridge their differences; at the same summit, Iran’s president met the Abu Dhabi crown prince, despite being on opposing sides of the Middle East conflict—Tehran has launched drone strikes against the United Arab Emirates due to its close ties with the United States and Israel.
Ultimately, both sides endorsed the BRICS appeal for restraint, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian noting they had agreed to “set aside past grievances and look toward the future.”
Analysts contend that, despite these frictions, BRICS members see the bloc as continuing to serve a valuable purpose for their countries.
“BRICS is a highly heterogeneous institution,” says Rajan Kumar, professor of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. He notes that while members vary in history, political systems and geography, their regular gatherings demonstrate that they “regard this forum with great seriousness.”
The inaugural summit featured only four nations—Brazil, Russia, India and China—originally dubbed BRIC. South Africa joined the next year, forming BRICS; today the grouping also includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Collectively, the members represent roughly half of the global population, 40 % of worldwide GDP and 26 % of international trade.
“Behaving as Equals”—BRICS’ Appeal for Marginalized Nations
The ascent of BRICS reflects mounting frustration in the developing world that institutions like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the UN Security Council no longer mirror the economic and political clout of Global South nations—a term covering developing and middle‑income countries.
“In recent years we’ve seen growing concern, especially across the Global South, about the direction of global affairs,” says Michael Kugelman. “This encompasses not only the ongoing major wars but also Western policies, especially those affecting the global economy.”
A police officer patrols the entrance to the BRICS summit venue in New Delhi on September 13, 2026.
He adds, however, that “members remain unclear about BRICS’ core purpose—and how it should situate itself vis‑à‑vis the West.”
This question carries particular weight in debates over reducing dependence on the U.S. dollar, as members diverge on how aggressively BRICS should challenge Western financial architecture.
Russia and Iran have advocated a stronger push to lessen reliance on Western financial systems, whereas India and most other BRICS members prefer to gain more flexibility while avoiding a confrontational stance toward the United States and Europe.
Trade among BRICS members has surged, climbing from roughly $84 billion in 2003 to $1.17 trillion in 2024, according to India’s Ministry of Commerce.
The rising interest from additional states seeking membership indicates that many view the bloc as increasingly relevant.
According to Professor Kumar, a key draw of BRICS is that it allows underrepresented nations to “act on equal footing.”
Despite the evident differences on display in New Delhi, the participants adopted a joint declaration addressing trade, finance, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and global conflicts.
Michael Kugelman observes that while the internal contradictions are unlikely to vanish, economic pressures facing many Global South nations will likely sustain BRICS’ viability.
“As long as the global economy remains unsettled,” he says, “that will continue to motivate BRICS.”