By Bharat Nanda
The year 2026 marks an important turning point in India’s foreign policy journey as the country assumes the BRICS Chairmanship and takes on a larger role in shaping the future of emerging economies. India’s leadership of BRICS is not merely about chairing an international forum; it reflects the country’s growing position as a responsible global power with the ability to influence international debates and represent the aspirations of the Global South. The 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, highlights India’s expanding diplomatic influence and its determination to promote a more balanced, inclusive and representative global order. India’s theme for BRICS 2026, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” reflects this vision and underlines its commitment to creating a framework in which emerging economies can work together on the basis of equality and mutual respect. For years, China has enjoyed considerable influence within BRICS because of its economic strength, large-scale investments and growing global reach. India’s leadership, however, is helping to reshape the grouping into a platform where the agenda is determined through cooperation rather than the dominance of any single country.
BRICS has evolved significantly from its original grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa into a broader framework that includes major emerging economies such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. With its members representing a substantial share of the world’s population, economic activity and natural resources, BRICS has become an increasingly important platform for cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, energy, healthcare, development financing and the promotion of a more multipolar international order. Within this expanding framework, India is seeking to ensure that the interests of all members are respected and that the organisation does not become overly dependent on the priorities of any one power.
China has often held significant influence in BRICS because of the size of its economy and its extensive financial capabilities. Beijing has also used initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative to expand its strategic and economic footprint across developing countries. India, in contrast, is promoting an alternative approach based on transparency, mutual respect, sustainable development and equal partnerships. While China’s model has often centred on large infrastructure projects and extensive financial investment, India’s approach places greater emphasis on capacity building, technology sharing, institutional cooperation and the empowerment of partner nations. Through this strategy, India is attempting to demonstrate that global leadership should not be determined solely by economic strength but also by trust, responsibility and the ability to create inclusive and sustainable development.
One of India’s greatest strengths during its BRICS 2026 Chairmanship is its ability to highlight the concerns and aspirations of developing countries. India has consistently positioned itself as an important voice of the Global South and has called for greater representation of emerging and developing economies in international decision-making. Its BRICS agenda focuses on issues that directly affect developing nations, including food security, energy security, climate justice, affordable access to technology, development financing and digital inclusion. Many developing countries are also seeking to diversify their international partnerships and reduce excessive dependence on any single major power. India offers a model of cooperation that emphasises sovereignty, mutual benefit and long-term development rather than dependence. By promoting this approach, India is reinforcing the idea that emerging economies should not remain passive participants in the global system but should play an active role in shaping international institutions and policies.
Technology has become another major area of global competition, and India is increasingly emerging as an alternative source of digital innovation and technological cooperation. India’s achievements in Digital Public Infrastructure, UPI-based digital payments, fintech innovation and technology-driven governance have created a model that has attracted considerable interest among developing economies. Through its BRICS Chairmanship, India seeks to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, scientific research, digital inclusion and knowledge sharing. India’s digital development model places emphasis on accessibility, interoperability, large-scale public participation and citizen empowerment. This provides developing countries with another approach to digital transformation and strengthens India’s position as a credible technology partner within BRICS and the wider Global South.
India is also using BRICS 2026 to deepen economic cooperation while advocating reforms in global institutions so that developing countries can receive greater representation in international decision-making bodies. New Delhi has repeatedly supported changes in the structure of international organisations to better reflect contemporary economic and geopolitical realities. Such efforts contribute to a more balanced distribution of influence within global institutions and prevent excessive concentration of power in the hands of a few major countries. India’s approach is not based on direct confrontation with China. Instead, it supports the development of a genuinely multipolar world order in which several centres of power coexist, national sovereignty is respected and all countries have meaningful opportunities to participate in shaping international decisions.
Sustainable development and climate leadership are also central to India’s BRICS vision. India is seeking greater cooperation in areas such as the clean-energy transition, green finance, climate adaptation, sustainable lifestyles and environmental protection. Initiatives such as Mission LiFE demonstrate India’s argument that economic growth and environmental responsibility can progress together. By promoting sustainable development as a shared global responsibility, India is presenting itself as a country that seeks to balance development priorities with environmental concerns. This approach strengthens India’s image as a responsible global actor at a time when rapid industrialisation, energy security and the environmental impact of economic expansion remain major concerns for countries across the world.
Hosting BRICS in 2026 therefore provides India with an important opportunity to expand its diplomatic, economic and strategic influence. The Chairmanship enables India to deepen partnerships with emerging economies, promote Indian technology and innovation internationally, strengthen trade and economic cooperation and increase its role in global decision-making. It also reinforces India’s position as a bridge between developed countries and the developing world, allowing New Delhi to engage with different political and economic blocs while maintaining its commitment to strategic autonomy and multipolarity.
BRICS 2026 is therefore more than a major diplomatic event for India; it represents the country’s growing emergence as an influential global power. While China has built considerable international influence through its economic strength, infrastructure investments and strategic initiatives, India is seeking to develop its own form of leadership based on trust, innovation, cooperation, inclusive development and respect for national sovereignty. India’s BRICS Chairmanship sends an important message that the future international order should not be shaped by the dominance of any one country but through cooperation among responsible and capable nations. By placing resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability at the centre of its agenda, India is presenting a model of global leadership that can contribute to a more balanced BRICS framework, provide developing countries with greater choices and help create a more representative and multipolar international system.
The author is a technology professional, geopolitical analyst, newspaper columnist and author based in Jammu. He can be reached on [email protected] and x.com/bharatnanada_
