BRICS at a crossroads and the struggle for equitable cooperation

Time of India

12-07-2025

Dr Rashmi Rani Anand is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Prior to this she has also served in the Department of Geography, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi for 8 years. She received Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and MA in Geography from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. Her specialization includes development issues, India- Africa relation and diplomacy, Social development issues, Gender issues and geospatial technologies. LESS ... MORE
As the global economy transitions toward green technologies, the demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements has surged, reshaping geopolitical and economic alignments. The green energy transition is mineral-intensive. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths are no longer niche elements; rather, they are the new oil. Without them, there are no electric vehicles, no wind turbines, no energy storage systems. They are indispensable for green energy technologies, semiconductors, and defence applications. Hence, control over these resources has become a marker of strategic power.
Over the past two decades, China has strategically secured dominance over global critical mineral supply chains. Through long-term investments in Africa and Latin America, aggressive acquisition of mining rights, and control over refining capacity, China today processes over 60% of the world's lithium and 80% of rare earth elements. While BRICS platforms often speak of 'mutual benefit' and 'developmental justice'. However, China's approach in these sectors has largely prioritised national interests, which at times has posed challenges to the broader goal of equitable cooperation within BRICS. This imbalance is particularly evident in the realm of critical minerals.
And here lies the paradox for India. Despite being a rising economy, India remains heavily dependent on imports for most critical minerals, especially from China, which has near-monopoly control over key segments of the mineral value chain. For India's aspirations for self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and green industrialisation, this presents a strategic challenge, economic security and diplomatic autonomy. While India has been investing in overseas assets and forming strategic partnerships, its access to refining technologies, exploration capabilities, and long-term supply contracts remains constrained.
Within the 17th BRICS summit on 6th and 7th July 2025, India calls for transparency, equitable access, and technology sharing for an inclusive framework for critical mineral governance. It says no country should hoard essential resources for narrow self-interest or use supply chains as instruments of geopolitical leverage. India's call aligns with the broader Global South's concern that resource-rich but technology-poor nations are being excluded from the value-added stages of the green economy.
For India, the expansion of BRICS means both a moment of strategic opportunity and a moment for careful reflection. Let us begin with the opportunities. BRICS is no longer limited to four countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) in 2009 and five countries in 2010 (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Now it has ten countries:s Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. With the inclusion of countries from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world, it now spans a richer diversity of energy exporters, emerging markets, and regional powers. This aligns closely with India's own foreign policy outreach — whether it is our deepening ties with Africa, our enduring relations with the Gulf, or our partnerships across Asia and Latin America. Despite their diverse political systems, development trajectories, and foreign policy orientations, these countries have come together within the group, bound by shared concerns and common interests.
This diversity strengthens BRICS's global legitimacy and gives it a louder voice in calling for reforms in institutions such as the UN Security Council, the IMF, and the World Bank. As the world transitions toward multipolarity, such coalitions are critical for ensuring that development, dignity, and sovereignty are respected for all nations. Apart from that, the critical mineral debate has become another arena where China's hegemonic ambitions clash with the original BRICS vision of multipolar cooperation. The tension between China's strategic behavior and the rest of the BRICS membership raises fundamental questions BRICS still a platform for genuine South-South solidarity?
India's Prime Minister has offered an alternative vision—one that emphasises democratic multilateralism, sustainability, and inclusivity in resource governance. His appeal to not 'hoard' critical minerals but to use them as a 'catalyst for global cooperation' highlights India's effort to steer BRICS back toward its foundational values. As the world enters a decisive decade for climate action and energy transition, the equitable management of critical minerals will be a litmus test for BRICS. Will it reinforce China's dominance or evolve into a platform for resource justice and strategic autonomy for the Global South?
The expanded BRICS will be tested on its ability to deliver development finance, stabilise commodity markets, promote climate justice, and provide alternative narratives to dominant powers. This is India's moment to lead by example — by championing inclusive development, fostering South-South cooperation, and acting as a bridge between old and new members, between East and West, between aspiration and action. BRICS is not just expanding in size — it is expanding in responsibility. As we step into this new phase, India remains committed to ensuring that BRICS becomes not just bigger, but better — more representative, more responsive, and more resilient.
BRICS is at a crossroads. Will it become just another geopolitical grouping shaped by the ambitions of the few, or will it transform into a genuine partnership for sustainable development? India's role will be pivotal in shaping that answer.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.