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The Diplomat
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Diplomat
At Rio, the BRICS Projected the Voice of the Global South
India's presence in BRICS gives the grouping, which is often seen to be 'anti-West' a 'non-West' image. The 17th BRICS summit at Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7 concluded with members committing to strengthening multilateralism, defending international law, and striving for a more equitable global order. Given the myriad global challenges, including war and economic upheavals, amid which the Rio Summit took place, it was no surprise that Brazil, which hosted the summit for the fourth time since its founding in 2009, chose the theme, 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.' The summit focused on reform of global governance, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and artificial intelligence and global health. The Rio Declaration included 'a commitment to reforming and improving global governance.' It was forthright in criticizing the Donald Trump administration's imposition of unilateral sanctions and trade-limiting measures. There was a strong call — some say much more robustly than before — for the 'need to adapt the current architecture of international relations to better reflect the contemporary realities.' The declaration reaffirmed the group's 'commitment to multilateralism and upholding the international law' with a recognition of the 'central role of the UN in the international system.' This must be seen against the backdrop of Trump's moves to pull the U.S. away from multilateral institutions and his penchant for imposing unilateral tariffs on countries with whom the U.S. has a trade deficit. Importantly, BRICS endorsed a bigger role for the Global South by calling for 'greater and more meaningful participation and representation' of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries, as well as Least Developed Countries, especially from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean in global decision-making processes and structures. 'We highlight the importance of the Global South as a driver for positive change, especially in the face of significant international challenges, including deepening geopolitical tensions, rapid economic downturns and technological changes, protectionist measures and migratory challenges. We believe BRICS countries continue to play a pivotal role in voicing the concerns and priorities of the Global South, as well as in promoting a more just, sustainable, inclusive, representative and stable international order based on international law,' it said. The Rio Summit criticized the military strikes on Iran last month. However, neither the U.S. nor Israel was named. But it did express 'grave concern' over 'the resumption of continuous Israeli attacks against Gaza and obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory.' There was also condemnation of 'the use of starvation as a method of warfare.' For India, a key takeaway from the summit was the BRICS' declaration's condemnation of the April 22 terrorist attack at Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Although Pakistan, which India believes was behind the attack, was not named in the statement, the fact that the declaration underlined the primary responsibility of states in combating terrorism was endorsed by China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is a matter of satisfaction. China is Pakistan's avowed all-weather friend, while Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which routinely criticizes India on Kashmir. This, especially against the backdrop of a perception in India that its military action, Operation Sindoor, had not garnered much international support. BRICS' condemnation of the attack at Pahalgam was all the more significant as only last month, a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense ministers' meeting in China, under pressure from China and Pakistan, kept out any reference to the attack. India had refused to sign the SCO joint statement. With Brazil passing the baton of the BRICS chair to India, New Delhi will have an opportunity to set a constructive and forward-looking agenda. Currently, BRICS brings together eleven major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 percent of the global population, around 40 percent of the global GDP and around 26 percent of global trade. As the chair of the G-20 in 2023, India positioned itself as the voice of the Global South, holding discussions with countries unrepresented at the G-20 table and including their inputs for the Delhi summit. It also took the initiative to welcome the African Union as a full member of the G-20. As the host of the BRICS summit in 2026, India will have the opportunity to burnish its credentials as a voice of the Global South. India has already set its aim to 'redefine BRICS as Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.' In his remarks at Rio, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India would 'advance this forum with a people-centric approach and the spirit of 'Humanity First.'' In that, India would be taking the path it took at the G-20 Summit in Delhi when it incorporated inclusivity as a central plank of its presidency and spotlighted the concerns of the Global South. India has been pushing developed countries to commit to increased funding and technology transfers for countries of the Global South to strengthen their capacity to fight climate change. This is likely to figure prominently in the agenda India sets for the BRICS summit next year. Brazil, Russia, India and China founded BRICS — then known as BRIC — in 2009. The grouping's membership has grown since. South Africa joined in 2011, and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE in 2024. In January this year, Indonesia became a full member. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan are 'partner countries.' Several BRICS members view the grouping as an alternative to the West. However, several Western countries view it as an 'anti-West bloc.' For example, Trump, who sees BRICS as a threat, has warned of consequences against moves such as the proposed BRICS common currency that would challenge the U.S. dollar. While the presence of China, Iran and Russia in BRICS makes it seem an 'anti-West' forum given their serious disputes with the U.S. and the European Union, India, which is a member of the Quad, helps temper opinions to make it appear 'non-West' but not 'anti-West.' In that sense, BRICS has helped India preserve its freedom to engage with partners across geopolitical divides, keeping its national interests front and center. Last but not the least, by being part of BRICS, India has sought to ensure that the grouping is not fully dominated by its strategic rival, China. While India may not be challenging China openly just yet, it aspires to be a pole or a global power in a multipolar world. By being a BRICS member, India hopes to ensure that China doesn't weaponize the platform against India. It also ensures that China doesn't solely corner the leadership of the Global South. Going forward, BRICS faces several challenges. Given the expanding membership, consensus may be hard to find on key global issues, given that each member state has its own priorities and national interests. Bilateral tensions between members could also hamper progress. BRICS, therefore, seems to be at a critical crossroads – it can either be overwhelmed by internal contradictions or it can cement its position as a forum that can hold existing power centers accountable while coming up with solutions acceptable to the Global North and Global South. As the chair of BRICS in 2026, India will have an opportunity to steer the grouping in the latter direction, despite the many fault lines that can divide the grouping.
India.com
08-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Military purge begins in China but where is Chinese president Xi Jinping? His absence raises questions like...
Military purge begins in China but where is Chinese president Xi Jinping? His absence raises questions like... Chinese President Xi Jinping has been missing from the public eye for long now. Some recent events indicate that perhaps Xi Jinping is now gradually moving towards distributing his power in the institutional structure or paving the way for a possible successor. Xi Jinping also skipped the 2025 Rio Summit for the first time in over a decade. The prolonged absence is also raising questions is all well within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)? Where is Xi Jinping? A video of him interacting with Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong on June 24 was released after a clip of his June 20 meeting with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon. Before this, he had been absent from any state media coverage since June 4. That was the day when he met Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Zhongnanhai. Is anything big happening in CCP? According to reports, China's military is facing a sweeping purge and internal shake-ups. Several top generals and defence officials have been ousted or have 'gone missing'. Is Xi Jinping going to retire? China is going to have a Congress meeting in the year 2027, in which a new president is elected. But in 2018, Xi Jinping changed the country's constitution, which said that a person cannot become president more than twice. After which people had assumed that Xi Jinping wants to remain president for life. At the same time, in a report by the South China Morning Post, a Chinese analyst, on the condition of anonymity, said that 'these rules are probably being brought because the time for transfer of power is coming.' So then the question is, is the President of China going to change in the year 2027 and has that process started with this meeting? Will the Hu Jintao bloc take the precedence? Recent developments suggest the revival of Hu Jintao bloc's influence. former Chinese President Hu Jintao, 82, (in power from 2003 to 2013), was unexpectedly escorted out of the Great Hall of the People. The state media said Hu's exit was due to health issues. But footage suggested otherwise, showing a hesitant Hu reaching for papers, Xi looking away, and no one stepping in to assist. Reports also suggest that Wang Yang, a reform-minded technocrat, once considered for the Politburo Standing Committee, to be a potential successor to Xi. Wang is from the Hu bloc. Amid all these factors, Xi's unusual absence from public view has sparked questions.
India Today
07-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Where is Xi Jinping amid China's military purge?
Is there a churn in China? That's the question being asked as Chinese President Xi Jinping keeps away from the public eye and skipping the 2025 Rio Summit for the first time in over a decade. There have been only two instances of Xi being seen, that too, in videos released by state media, since June 4. The prolonged absence is raising questions -- is all well within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)? The questions assume significance against the backdrop of a military purge and reports of aides of former president Hu Jintao gaining influence in the all-powerful is, instead, ceding the spotlight to his No. 2, Premier Li Qiang. Such staying away from state media coverage is unusual for Xi.A video of him interacting with Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong on June 24 was released after a clip of his June 20 meeting with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon. Before this, he had been absent from any state media coverage since June 4. That was the day when he met Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in reports say that Xi might be trying to tighten his grip on power as China's military faces a sweeping purge and internal shake-ups. Several top generals and defence officials have been ousted or have "gone missing". This amid reports of Hu's aides gaining influence within the a global leader, consistently covered by state media, suddenly disappears from public view, it draws global has offered "scheduling conflict" as the reason for Xi's absence from the Brics summit. It is unusual as this is a high-stakes multilateral meeting that Beijing sees as important in its bid at counterbalancing US Brics grouping has been a bugbear for US President Donald Trump, who sees China as the biggest rival. Trump on Sunday (US time) threatened an extra 10% tariff on nations backing Brics' "anti-American policies".Is a potential power shift underway in China's top leadership? Is Xi losing his grip? Where is Xi? And why has he stepped away from public view? Is all well in Beijing? This is why these questions have popped up all of a WHEN HAS XI JINPING BEEN MISSING FROM PUBLIC VIEW?July 7 is almost a fortnight since Xi was last seen in marks his third such prolonged period of absence this absences were unexplained, but they coincide with China's military purge, and it comes at a time when the Chinese economy is seemingly strained. Observers have noted subtle shifts in the stance of state media as together, these developments have fuelled speculations about a potential recalibration of power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).advertisementReports suggest that Xi's grip on power may be weakening, with figures tied to former President Hu Jintao's era, notably General Zhang Youxia and technocrat Wang Yang, gaining XI JINPING'S MYSTERIOUS ABSENCE MATTERSXi Jinping's long absence from public engagements, state media, and diplomatic events, like the Brics summit, can only be described as "mysterious".For the past 12 years, since Xi came to power in 2013, the Chinese state media has portrayed him as an unassailable Jinping last appeared on the front page of People's Daily after his meeting with Singapore PM Lawrence Wong on June 24, following a rare 22-day absence from the paper since June 2, according to a report in English daily The was a rare break from his near-daily coverage since this period, second-tier leaders, Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier He Lifeng, handled high-stakes diplomatic meetings, signalling a temporary shift in leadership visibility. Premier Qiang is attending the Brics Xi reappeared in early June for a meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, world media noted a subdued demeanour and a significantly reduced security detail, half its usual size. The Belarusian press service also described Xi as appearing "tired, distracted, and generally unwell". Earlier, the Chinese President's commanding presence was easily diplomatic anomalies did not go Chinese state television reportedly briefly omitted Xi's official titles during a broadcast – an unprecedented lapse that was quickly when all developments are combined, they may be interpreted as a sign of internal disarray within the CCP, with Xi appearing ABSENCE COMES AMID CHINESE MILITARY PURGEXi's absence comes at a time when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has undergone significant early 2023, key figures such as General He Weidong (Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission), General Miao Hua (Chief of Political Work), and General Lin Xiangyang (Commander of the Eastern Theater Command) have reportedly been PLA's elite Rocket Force and Western Theatre Command have also seen leadership General Zhang Youxia, First Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and a former Xi ally, is seemingly a pivotal figure in the leadership. Reports suggest Zhang is asserting greater control over the PLA, backed by senior CCP figures linked to former President Hu Jintao's control over the military has been a cornerstone of his rule since 2013, when he purged hundreds of officers and installed current wave of dismissals, often attributed to vague "disciplinary violations", suggests either a deliberate effort by Xi to eliminate threats or a loss of control over key reports claim that the "real power lies with General Zhang Youxia," who is supported by Hu's THERE A RESURGENCE OF THE HU JINTAO BLOC?A defining moment in Xi Jinping's absolute authority occurred at the 20th Party Congress in 2022, when former Chinese President Hu Jintao, 82, (in power from 2003 to 2013), was unexpectedly escorted out of the Great Hall of the state media said Hu's exit was due to health issues. But footage suggested otherwise, showing a hesitant Hu reaching for papers, Xi looking away, and no one stepping in to media and observers noted Hu's reluctance to leave. It was interpreted as Xi sidelining the old recent developments suggest a revival of Hu's also suggest that Wang Yang, a reform-minded technocrat, once considered for the Politburo Standing Committee, to be a potential successor to is from the Hu reports also said that Wang is being "groomed as a reform-oriented future leader", representing a pro-market, less confrontational approach rooted in Hu's MAY BE THE IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA'S LEADERSHIP CHANGE?China's domestic challenges compound the political turbulence. Reports peg youth unemployment at over 15%, the real estate sector as stagnant, and national debt soaring past $50 protests and factory unrest are reportedly rising, and foreign investment is dwindling amid trade tensions with the economic factors might be prompting Xi to recalibrate political structures. But at the same time, analysts also suggest that Xi's reduced visibility reflects internal challenges to his China has externalised domestic instability through border CCP's opaque system makes it difficult to discern whether Xi is orchestrating these changes or being all these factors, Xi's unusual absence from public view has sparked questions. And it will only be clear in the weeks ahead if his grip on power is as strong as it was, and if all's well in the CCP.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Brics backs India line on terror & UNSC reforms, slams tariffs
NEW DELHI: The 11-member Brics comprising key emerging economies condemned in "the strongest terms" Pahalgam terrorist attack, seeking concerted action against UN-designated terrorists and terrorist entities, and unambiguously backed a comprehensive reform of UN Security Council (UNSC), in two significant takeaways for India from Rio Summit. Among other highlights was India joining Brics in condemning attacks on Iran since June 13 (without naming Israel), expressing grave concern about the situation in "Occupied Palestinian territory" with resumption of "continuous Israeli attacks" against Gaza, obstruction to humanitarian aid and use of starvation as a method of warfare - something which Israel has rejected. According to Rio Declaration, Brics nations expressed serious concerns about rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. While this was an obvious message to the Trump administration, the declaration stopped short of naming US because some members were not comfortable with it. The declaration also said imposition of unilateral coercive measures are contrary to international law and measures like unilateral economic sanctions have far-reaching negative implications. At India's behest, there was ample focus on terrorism in the declaration that urged zero tolerance for terrorism and rejected double standards in countering terrorism. India uses the same language to counter Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism and also China's shielding at UN of UN-banned terrorists based in Pakistan. "We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in J&K on April 22, during which at least 26 people were killed and many more injured. We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens," said the declaration, while calling for an expeditious finalisation and adoption of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN framework. According to Indian govt officials, Rio summit also adopted "strongest-ever language" for UN reforms by calling for a comprehensive reform of Security Council with a view to making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient, and to increase representation of developing countries. Recalling 2022 Beijing and 2023 Johannesburg declarations, China and Russia, as permanent members of UNSC, reiterated their support to the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in UN, including its Security Council. Interestingly, the Beijing declaration had only said in UN, and not 'including in UNSC'. The Rio Declaration also said a reformed UNSC will amplify voice of the Global South. While condemning the attacks on Iran - and expressing concern over "deliberate" attacks on "peaceful" nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards - the declaration was also littered with references to the Israel-Palestine issue, something which continues to test India's balancing exercise. In case of Iran, there was no mention of Israel like in an earlier statement by Brics last month, which too was endorsed by India, but on this occasion the declaration didn't just express concern but also condemned the military strikes. In case of Gaza, the declaration explicitly mentioned "continuous Israeli attacks" calling for adherence to international law and recalling that Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the 'Occupied Palestinian Territory'.
NDTV
06-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
PM Modi Arrives At Rio Museum To Attend BRICS Summit
Rio De Janeiro: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he arrived at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit on Sunday. During the Summit, Prime Minister Modi will exchange views on key global issues, including reform of global governance, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, responsible use of artificial intelligence, climate action, global health, and economic and financial matters. PM Modi had arrived in Brazil earlier in the day on the fourth leg of his five-nation visit, after wrapping up a historic trip to Argentina on Saturday. This is Prime Minister's fourth visit to Brazil and he is scheduled to undertake a State Visit to Brasilia following the two-day Summit. Prime Minister Modi is also likely to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit. "As a founding member, India is committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies. Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order. On the sidelines of the Summit, I will also meet several world leaders," said PM Modi, earlier this week. "I will travel to Brasilia for a bilateral State Visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen our close partnership with Brazil, and work with my friend, President H.E. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on advancing the priorities of the Global South," he added. In the last BRICS Summit, held under Russia's chairship in Kazan in October 2024, PM Modi noted that the event was taking place at a time when the world is undergoing several uncertainties and challenges, including conflicts, adverse climatic impacts, and cyber threats, placing greater expectations upon BRICS. The Summit holds a major significance for New Delhi as India will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last held the BRICS Chairship in 2021, which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the grouping. India also remains committed to strengthening the voice of the Global South and championing the cause of developing countries on the global stage, including forums like BRICS. The theme of the Rio Summit is Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance. Sunday's first agenda item would be the reform of the Global Governance, where only the full members will participate. After wrapping up discussions on two more agenda items - peace and security, the strengthening of multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and Artificial intelligence - the leaders will be participating in an official reception hosted by President Lula. On Monday, discussions will be held on the fourth item of the agenda - environment, COP30, and Global health.
