The BRICS Test for India’s Multipolarity Stance

Why in News?

• The upcoming BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to August 24, will be an important stress test for Indian diplomacy which will indicate the shape of geopolitics to come.
• The challenge before New Delhi is to choose between a China-centric or a West-centric world order, or balance the two.

 

Challenges and Potentials of BRICS as a Bloc

• Revisionist and Reactive than Proactive
  • The ability of BRICS to reorder or steer the global economy in any significant manner is deeply suspect.
  • The appetite to create economic agreements amongst its own members is limited, and its historical capability to influence global geopolitics appears to be overestimated.
  • Moreover, as a bloc, it is hardly an attractive investment destination and the BRICS today sounds more revisionist and reactive, than proactive or clear headed, on what it wants to do.
• Yet, it Could Influence the World Politics in Future
  • The BRICS has the potential to become an entity capable of influencing the future of world politics.
  • The geopolitical developments of the past year or so and the challenges faced by the United Nations system may have given another lease of life to BRICS.
  • BRICS is also more globally represented than the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the G-7, though less than the G-20 which is dominated by the West.
  • In that sense, the choices that BRICS makes at the summit and thereafter could have major implications for the international system.

 

BRICS As an Alternate Path to the Global Governance

• Due to the Failure of the West Led Global Governance
  • The current order of global governance is deeply undemocratic, and there is little possibility of a more inclusive system anytime soon.
  • But forums such as BRICS will at some point fill such important institutional vacuum, no matter how inadequate they are.
  • Around 40 countries have formally or informally expressed interest in joining an expanded BRICS.
  • It is reflective of the deeply-held sense of angst and anger in the global South countries about their place in the world.
• Due to the Underrepresentation of Middle and Regional Powers
  • At a time of global geopolitical uncertainty, with the global order going through a major churn, middle powers, regional heavyweights, and the outliers are weighing their options.
  • These countries would want to utilise forums such as BRICS to make sense of global geopolitical headwinds, hedge or place their bets, and influence the geopolitics around them.
  • For instance, the uncertainties arising out of the Ukraine war and the steady rise of China have clearly provided a new lease of life to the otherwise fading BRICS.
• Could Ignite a Genuine Conversation about Issues
  • Many countries, the global south particularly, often does not find itself in the mainstream conversation on global issues like climate change, cybersecurity, etc.
  • Forums like BRICS will provide the flexibility these countries need and address the issues as well.

 

New Delhi’s Dilemma

• Unclear Geopolitical Choices
  • For India, the geopolitical choices today are neither crystal clear nor easy to make.
  • For one, it is unclear as to where India belongs in the global geopolitical landscape.
  • For instance, there is a tendency in the West to view India’s membership of BRICS and the SCO in the context of the Ukraine war and the United States/West versus the standoff with Russia.
  • One question always surfaces as to how can India be a part of the Quad [Australia, Japan, the U.S., India], G-20, G-7 and BRICS, SCO, and global South at the same time.
• To Balance the Emerging Geopolitical Faultline with China’s Rise
  • Developmentally, historically, and geographically, India belongs to BRICS, SCO, and the global South.
  • Structurally and aspirationally, the G-20, G-7, Quad and the like are where New Delhi is headed.
  • India, as a result, is located right in the middle of an emerging geopolitical fault-line with interests on either side, welcomed by either side, but fully belonging to neither.
  • This could either make India a bridge between the great divides or its lack of loyalty to neither could make it a victim of emerging geopolitical contestations.
  • The sharper the fault-line becomes, the harder it will be for New Delhi to balance it.
• India’s Stance of Multipolarity and Rising Competitive Blocs
  • One of the major dangers of the current churn in global geopolitics is the rise of competing blocs in the international system.
  • With China and Russia aligning their global interests, the organisations they are part of whose membership they are attempting to enhance, are likely to be pitted against the status quo order led by the U.S. and its allies.
  • India has traditionally opposed the creation of blocs as they go against the fundamental spirit of equitable global governance and multipolarity.
  • Multipolarity, in the Indian historical imagination, is about equity, inclusion and representation, not bloc rivalry, ideological or otherwise.
  • However, even if New Delhi vehemently opposes bloc politics, it will continue to get drawn into it.
• The China Question
  • The question that New Delhi must ask every step of the way as it pursues a multipolar world and alternative mechanisms for global governance, is whether (or not) it helps boost the rise of China globally.
  • No doubt, a multi-polar world requires strong, alternative global forums, and perhaps even attempts at de-dollarisation.
  • But those very forums will go on to aid the rise of China and the strengthening of the yuan.
  • Given its size, economic influence and the spread of the Belt and Road Initiative and diplomatic bandwidth, China will influence an expanded BRICS; and India, with its limited resources, would struggle to match this.
  • Paradoxically, the more India helps strengthen non-western institutions and frameworks, thereby weakening the post-Second World War order, the more it helps China’s revisionist agenda.
  • The challenge before India is to choose between a China-centric world order or a West- centric world order, or balance the two.

 

Way Forward for India Amidst Uncertain Geopolitical Scenario

• Promote Equitable Global Governance
  • India must keep its eyes firmly fixed on its goal: promote a more representative and equitable global governance on the one hand and ensure that such an order does not end up undercutting its own national interests.
  • While India must moderate the influence of China in non-western forums it must also make sure not to alienate other countries in the global South who may see merit in China’s efforts at expanding the membership of those forums.
• Need to Assert Itself in all Forums
  • The geopolitical dilemma before New Delhi is hardly an easy one to navigate.
  • India needs to assert itself in non-western global forums such as BRICS and the SCO, checking the steadily growing Chinese influence in them
  • Simultaneously, India should negotiate a place for itself in Eurocentric forums such as the UNSC and the G-7.

 

Conclusion

• In global governance, more imperfect institutions reflecting the realities of today are better than one imperfect institution that is alien to the world of today.
• International politics should not be the place for hegemonic perfection, but of democratic imperfections.
• Therefore, India needs to assert its rightful position in all international forums without being drawn into a bloc.

 

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Q) What is the significance of BRICS?

BRICS is an important grouping bringing together the major emerging economies, comprising 41% of the world population, having 24% of the world GDP and over 16% share in world trade. BRICS countries have been the main engines of global economic growth over the years. Over a period, BRICS countries have come together to deliberate on important issues under the three pillars of political and security, economic and financial and cultural and people to people exchanges.

 

Q2) What is the paradox of BRICS?

Despite several achievements, cooperation in various fields, the group began to lose its sparkle. Apart from internal differences, COVID-19, the Galwan clash, and the Ukraine conflict resulted in increased global economic stress, damaged India-China ties, and turned Russia into a diminishing power. The group may have internal differences or lost its Mojo but numerous nations want to become members of BRICS. This shows the paradox of BRICS.

 

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Source: The Hindu