Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist September 2019 | Page 28

I n d ia & t H E W O R L D
organizations which shows that it is not trying to rival the
likes of the World Bank or IMF but intends to work with
them. All it wants is to reshape the norms on which global
financial governance is based.
In the political arena, although BRICS supports reform
of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the internal
divisions and rivalries in the grouping make it difficult to
achieve this aim. Russia has been reluctant for UNSC reform,
although it supports India’s candidature in the reformed
council. China has not endorsed India’s candidature for a
potential seat in UNSC as Beijing sees India as a rival along
with Japan. China has never gone beyond its statement that
Beijing supports India’s aspiration to play a greater role at
the United Nations. India-China rivalry would persist till the
said that mother-ship of terrorism is a country in India’s
neighbourhood. China tried to shield Pakistan by saying that
political dialogue is required to address the root causes of such
problems. Clearly, while India tried to isolate Pakistan from
the platform of BRICS, China tried to thwart Indian attempts.
Russia tried to take a neutral path as it shares cordial relations
with both India and China.
BRICS, with all its economic potential and internal
divisions, remains a work in progress. The global order is
in flux as Western liberal free-market ideas are now being
challenged by sentiments of nationalism and protectionism.
US President Donald Trump is the new hero of conservative
forces around the world as unilateralism becomes a fashion
over multilateralism. He has raised questions over the World
BRICS, although calls for multi-
polarity at the global level but in
practice, it is multi-polarity with
areas of influence at the regional
level where BRICS countries
tend to balance against each
other. Russia has been trying to
safeguard its sphere of influence
in post-Soviet space from China’s
vigorous push through its Belt
and Road Initiative (BRI).
two Asian giants solve their border dispute which can turn
into a conflict and the Doklam standoff in 2017 is a very
recent example of their strategic mistrust. BRICS, although
calls for multi-polarity at the global level but in practice, it
is multi-polarity with areas of influence at the regional level
where BRICS countries tend to balance against each other.
Russia has been trying to safeguard its sphere of influence
in post-Soviet space from China’s vigorous push through its
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India is also feeling the heat in
South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) where China
is making deep inroads to challenge India’s influence. China’s
unconditional support to Pakistan is also a cause of concern
for India as Beijing uses Pakistan to indirectly confront India
and thwart India’s ambitions to rise as a global power.
The divisions in BRICS are further evident on security
issues. When India hosted the 8th BRICS summit in 2016,
there was a push from New Delhi to bring the issue of
terrorism on the table. PM Modi, without naming Pakistan
Trade Organization (WTO) and walked out of the Paris
agreement on climate change. In such uncertain times, a
vacuum would develop in the global order where BRICS
would become important. New ideas that talk of equality and
just global order need a new lease of life. In the new global
order, ideas from the South should find a reasonable place
and BRICS would serve that purpose. Legitimacy has been
a shortcoming of global institutions and by incorporating
various alternate voices, there is a chance to make it truly
representative and legitimate. Agriculture, food security,
energy security, health, climate change, space and digital
fields are the areas where BRICS countries would be focusing
more in the coming years. Security issues are likely to be
on the back burner as there are internal divisions on key
strategic issues. n
*Author is Consultant, Faculty of Political Science,
IGNOU, New Delhi
28 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 9 • September 2019, Noida