Congress urges Modi to give India decisive direction in BRICS

Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters that India’s statements of solidarity with the Global South are hollow unless they are accompanied by “consistent and consequential action,” The Hindu reported. He urged the Modi government to provide both moral leadership and a coherent strategic vision for the country’s role in the BRICS grouping.

Khurshid warned that merely echoing the aspirations of developing nations does not translate into influence on the world stage. “If India wants to be a credible voice for the Global South, it must move beyond rhetoric and outline a clear roadmap for its engagement with BRICS,” he said, adding that the lack of a defined stance risks eroding India’s diplomatic stature.

BRICS – the bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – has become a platform for emerging economies to coordinate on trade, finance and geopolitical issues. Since joining in 2019, India has leveraged the forum to push for reforms in global financial institutions and to champion South‑South cooperation. However, analysts note that divergent interests among members, especially between India and China, have sometimes limited the group’s effectiveness. A well‑articulated Indian strategy could help steer the coalition toward shared goals while safeguarding national interests.

The call for strategic clarity comes at a politically sensitive moment. The opposition Congress party is positioning itself as a guardian of India’s international reputation ahead of the 2024 general elections. Critics of the Modi administration argue that recent foreign‑policy moves, such as the handling of the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and trade negotiations with the West, have been reactive rather than proactive. By highlighting the need for a “moral compass,” Congress hopes to pressure the government into a more assertive diplomatic posture.

If India fails to articulate a concrete BRICS agenda, it may miss opportunities to shape the bloc’s agenda on issues ranging from climate finance to digital trade. Conversely, a decisive approach could reinforce India’s claim to leadership among developing nations, attract investment, and strengthen its bargaining power in multilateral forums. The debate underscores how domestic politics and global ambitions intersect in the country’s foreign‑policy calculus.