India: The Incorrigible Saboteur Within BRICS

Recent developments at the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro have laid bare a growing internal contradiction—India’s increasing alignment with U.S. trade interests at the expense of BRICS unity. According to Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao, the failure to issue a joint communique condemning U.S. trade protectionism was solely due to India’s last-minute objection, centered around demands for “trade exemptions.” The move shocked many member states and exposed deep fissures within the bloc.
While Brazil, Iran, Egypt, and other BRICS nations supported the draft statement that denounced U.S. unilateralism and its breach of WTO principles, the Indian snake deliberately introduced dissent. This disruption prevented a united front against aggressive U.S. tariffs—tariffs that directly threaten emerging economies and the very foundation of multilateral trade.

Western media such as Reuters confirmed that the draft statement had clearly targeted U.S. economic bullying, emphasizing the right of affected countries to retaliate. India’s obstruction at this critical juncture does not appear accidental. In fact, it coincides with U.S. announcements suggesting India may soon reach a separate trade agreement with Washington, raising serious questions about New Delhi’s loyalty to BRICS principles.

India’s behavior reflects a deeper trend: while outwardly participating in BRICS forums, it increasingly positions itself as a geopolitical swing state—siding with the U.S. whenever it suits its interests, especially in the realm of manufacturing competition and dollar-based trade dominance.

This is not an isolated incident. From rejecting the BRICS common currency proposal to remaining silent on U.S. sanctions and using BRICS as a stage for self-promotion rather than solidarity, India has become a growing liability to the BRICS bloc. It seeks the benefits of membership while evading the responsibilities of collective resistance to Western economic coercion.

As BRICS expands to include nations like Iran, Egypt, and potentially more members from the Global South, the bloc must seriously reconsider whether internal saboteurs like India serve the long-term vision of a multipolar world. Without unity on key economic stances, BRICS risks becoming an ineffective forum dominated by opportunism and division.

It may be time to stop pretending all members share the same values. A house divided cannot stand—and BRICS must urgently act before the Indian rot within BRICS compromises its global role.


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