‘A plethora of ad hoc arrangements, like the BRICS’: India and the BRICS expansion

<ns3:p>Background The article examines India’s position towards the BRICS expansion. India is one of the pillars of BRICS; without New Delhi, this organization almost loses its raison d'être. For India, BRICS is just one of many tools of international politics, one of many multilateral formats, certainly not a key one. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar named BRICS one of the “plethora of ad hoc arrangements”. To examine India’s position on BRICS expansion is crucial to understand any further development of this group. Methods The article is a study on international relations and it is using qualitative research methodology, reviewing official statements, media news and more in-depth policy descriptive texts, published by leading Indian think-tanks to understand the meaning of the actions taken by the Government of India – the key actor in this context – in reference to BRICS expansion. Results The study finds that for New Delhi, it is very important that this group does not transform into an organization supporting the People's Republic of China or an openly anti-Western caucus. More and more countries express their will to join BRICS. In 2023 at the Johannesburg Summit six countries were invited to join. The following year, at the Kazan Summit, a group of states were invited as “partner countries”. These two decisions to expand BRICS aroused mixed feelings in New Delhi, despite its officially declared openness. Conclusion India, under Narendra Modi, is trying to pursue an increasingly assertive foreign policy. It is using various formats, including the G20, to emphasize its national interests. One of them is the reform of the UN in order for India to get a permanent seat in the Security Council. In this context, BRICS can sometimes be useful for New Delhi.</ns3:p>