India is poised on the brink of a transformative year in global diplomacy and development, as it prepares to assume the chairmanship of the expanded BRICS+ grouping in 2026. This pivotal moment, discussed in depth at a recent high-level conference on October 15, 2025, is seen as a historic opportunity for India to champion the interests of the Global South and drive institutional reforms in global governance, according to The Economic Times.
During the keynote address, Shri Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations) at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a proactive and strategic BRICS presidency. He emphasized, “BRICS has evolved beyond an economic grouping into a dynamic platform for the Global South’s strategic and developmental aspirations.” Dalela highlighted India’s intention to institutionalize cooperation across key sectors such as digital public infrastructure, sustainable finance, and resilient supply chains. “The next phase of BRICS cooperation will be defined by how effectively the grouping integrates technology and trade policies. Therefore, BRICS+ must leverage its vast resource base to develop joint ventures in rare earth extraction, renewable energy, and green manufacturing,” he stated.
Shishir Priyadarshi, President of the Chintan Research Foundation, set the stage for the conference by clarifying BRICS’s role as a corrective to the existing world order rather than an alternative. “BRICS is not an alternative to the existing world order but a corrective, a mechanism to democratise decision-making and prioritise the needs of developing countries,” Priyadarshi remarked. This sentiment was echoed throughout the day as experts and officials called for actionable partnerships and a move from declarations to tangible delivery, particularly in finance, technology, and energy.
One of the central themes was the expansion of the multilateral architecture for South-South cooperation. The conference’s thematic sessions explored how BRICS+ can foster financial resilience, promote alternative payment mechanisms, and deepen collaboration in critical minerals, energy transitions, and frontier technologies. Cedrick Crowley, Deputy High Commissioner of South Africa to India, stressed the importance of proactive and inclusive development, especially for Africa. “We need to have a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation—BRICS being a major framework; we must have multilateral banking institutions, which are critical for Africa’s development,” Crowley said. He also noted the current lack of a unified BRICS response to challenges from the United States, but suggested that the evolving scenario encourages greater trade between Asia and Africa.
Former BRICS Sherpa Sanjay Bhattacharya argued that technology must be embraced more broadly within BRICS, especially as the world enters what he termed the Industrial Revolution 6.0. “Rules-based and inclusive BRICS+ ecosystem can serve as a stabilising force amid growing geopolitical fragmentation,” Bhattacharya asserted. The need to move beyond declarations to delivery was a recurring theme, with experts advocating for joint investments, digital partnerships, and shared innovation ecosystems.
Ambassador Dammu Ravi, former Secretary (Economic Relations) at the Ministry of External Affairs, proposed that a coherent BRICS strategy for energy transition and green hydrogen could reshape global value chains. He suggested that an alternative currency within BRICS, such as the Petro-Yuan, could help reduce dependence on the US dollar, a point of growing relevance given recent US tariff actions against several BRICS economies. Ravi emphasized, “BRICS countries have immense capabilities in the technological space. As we enter Industrial Revolution 6.0, quantum physics is going to play a crucial role, so 2026 will determine the leading role of countries that are technological giants.”
Panelists also highlighted the importance of the New Development Bank (NDB) in expanding its financing portfolio to support sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, and social development projects across BRICS+ economies. Coordinated efforts to align BRICS Pay and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) were seen as crucial to mitigating risks from unilateral sanctions and dollar-denominated dependencies. The launch of BRICS Pay at the 2024 Kazan Summit was cited as a significant step toward strengthening economic resilience through alternative cross-border financial mechanisms.
The conference did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges ahead, particularly in terms of coordination and institutional design. The lack of a collective BRICS approach to US-imposed tariffs and the complexities of fostering cooperation between countries with strained relations—such as India and China—were recognized as significant hurdles. Nevertheless, most experts agreed that the potential benefits of a strengthened BRICS+ partnership outweigh these complexities. The platform offers the Global South a credible alternative to traditional power hierarchies, advancing a model of multipolarity grounded in shared prosperity, technological equity, and sustainable growth.
Technological sovereignty and resource security were recurring concerns, with participants urging the creation of frameworks for indigenous innovation in dual-use technologies, quantum computing, and green energy systems. Strengthening digital sovereignty through secure data localization, interoperable financial platforms, and collaborative research and development was identified as essential for ensuring strategic autonomy. The symposium also addressed the need for regulated supply chains, suggesting that frameworks like the proposed BRICS Grains Exchange Bank could help manage logistics and container movement, areas currently dominated by Chinese or US providers.
From a geopolitical perspective, the panelists pointed to the recent imposition of steep tariffs by the United States on several BRICS economies and the rise of carbon border adjustments as reinforcing the need for a unified Global South response. Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General at CUTS International, remarked, “For the first time since the Non-Aligned Movement, developing countries have a collective institutional platform capable of influencing the rules of global trade, technology, and finance.” He added, “Real change happens when we move from bilateral negotiations to multilateral solutions, from transactional arrangements to institutional frameworks, from short-term fixes to long-term vision.”
The conference concluded by setting the stage for the formulation of an actionable “BRICS+ Roadmap 2030,” aligning the grouping’s priorities with the long-term development goals of the Global South. Think-tanks were recognized as having a vital role in sustaining policy momentum by connecting analytical research with implementable strategies. The consensus was clear: India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship will serve as a defining moment—not only for the grouping but also for the wider Global South’s push for autonomy and reform in global governance.
As India looks ahead to its year at the helm, the focus will remain on interoperability, sustainability, and inclusivity. The challenges are many, but so are the opportunities for India to lead the Global South into a new era of collaboration, innovation, and shared prosperity.