New Delhi: During his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ahead of this year’s BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit in Kazan, Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on the importance of the cooperation between his country and India within the framework of this bloc.
Highlighting the importance of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership that the two nations share bilaterally, Putin underscored why collaboration between India and Russia on key global issues is the need of the hour.
"In Kazan, we must take a number of important decisions aimed at further improving the activities of the association and strengthening multifaceted cooperation within its framework," Putin said.
Echoing the sentiment, PM Modi said that his second visit to Russia within the space of three months reflects the strong cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
"Today, many countries of the world want to join our association," PM Modi said. "I look forward to our discussion within the framework of BRICS," he added.
The BRICS Summit to be held on Wednesday will be the first one following the expansion of the bloc last year with the inclusion of Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as new members. Though Saudi Arabia was also invited to join the bloc last year, it is yet to take a formal decision in this regard.
An intergovernmental organisation that was originally formed to identify investment opportunities in member states, BRICS has evolved into a geopolitical bloc, with the governments meeting annually at formal summits and coordinating multilateral policies.
The BRICS members encompass about 30 per cent of the world’s land surface and 45 per cent of the global population and account for about 30 per cent of the global GDP. The bloc is considered the foremost geopolitical rival to the G7 bloc comprising the leading advanced economies, implementing competing initiatives such as the New Development Bank (NDB) and the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement.
According to reports, following the expansion of BRICS last year, more than 30 countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey and Azerbaijan have now either formally applied for or expressed interest in membership of the bloc.
It is in light of this that Putin’s statement regarding the importance of India-Russia cooperation within the BRICS framework assumes significance.
India is considered as a strong voice in the BRICS and the UN, speaking out against policies or actions that may harm the interests of any member. Both India and Russia are key pillars of BRICS, and have a long-standing and multifaceted relationship that has evolved over decades, with cooperation rooted in shared historical ties, mutual respect, and complementary geopolitical interests.
BRICS aims to promote a multipolar world order, where power is distributed more evenly among nations rather than dominated by a single or a few global powers. India and Russia are both strong advocates for this system, viewing BRICS as a vehicle to reduce the unipolar dominance of the West, particularly the US and its allies. Through BRICS, India and Russia collaborate on global governance reforms, seeking greater representation for developing countries in institutions like the UN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank.
For Russia, which faces sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the West due to its geopolitical stances, including the ongoing war against Ukraine, BRICS offers an alternative platform to engage with large economies like India. For India, BRICS provides a counterbalance to align with both Western and Eastern powers, helping maintain its strategic autonomy. Both countries use BRICS to advocate for a more equitable global financial and security order, which is crucial given their desire to ensure sovereignty and resist hegemonic pressures.
India and Russia see BRICS as a mechanism to enhance economic cooperation, trade, and investment. The BRICS framework encourages collaboration in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, technology, and agriculture. For Russia, BRICS provides access to growing markets like India, while India benefits from Russia's rich resources, especially in energy.
The NDB, a BRICS initiative, has become an essential tool for financing infrastructure and development projects in member countries. Both India and Russia have benefited from the NDB’s funding to enhance their domestic and regional connectivity, contributing to the broader goal of BRICS - sustainable development and reducing dependency on Western financial institutions.
India and Russia also share a deep defence partnership, which naturally extends to BRICS’s broader security agenda. Both nations are focused on counter-terrorism, cyber security, and cooperation on global and regional security matters. Within BRICS, India and Russia coordinate on creating mechanisms to fight terrorism, arms trafficking, and drug trade. This cooperation aligns with the BRICS security cooperation framework, which aims to create a collective approach to modern security challenges.
In light of China’s growing influence within BRICS, especially due to its close relationship with Russia, India’s cooperation with Moscow becomes vital in balancing the dynamics. By maintaining close ties with Russia, India can ensure that its security concerns, particularly in its neighbourhood, are addressed without Beijing dominating the BRICS security agenda. For Russia, India serves as a strategic partner to lessen its reliance on China and diversify its geopolitical relationships.
India-Russia cooperation within BRICS is also crucial for their broader foreign policy strategies. While both nations have different global priorities - India being more aligned with the West in some respects, and Russia focusing on countering Western influence - their collaboration within BRICS allows them to align on key issues like climate change, sustainable development, and regional stability.
BRICS is committed to promoting South-South cooperation, and India and Russia play critical roles in advancing the development agenda for emerging economies. India has already positioned itself as the voice of the Global South. Both India and Russia are strong advocates for addressing global inequalities, enhancing cooperation among developing nations, and reducing the dominance of developed economies in setting global norms.
To sum up, despite their evolving relationships with other powers, both countries see BRICS as a vital forum for advancing their shared interests, balancing global power dynamics, and fostering development for emerging economies.
