Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed a view differing from party colleague P. Chidambaram regarding the BRICS summit, describing it as a significant platform for the Global South and stating that it is far more than just a venue for meetings and declarations, offering India an opportunity to showcase its diplomatic strength.
Chidambaram Had Questioned Benefits of BRICS Summits
Chidambaram had recently questioned what benefits India had gained from the last two or three BRICS summits, asking what advantage hosting BRICS would bring to the country. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which mockingly referred to him, echoing PM Modi’s words, as an “annoyed uncle.”
Tharoor Acknowledges Some of BRICS’s Weaknesses
While not entirely dismissing Chidambaram’s concerns, Tharoor pointed out certain weaknesses within BRICS, acknowledging that reaching consensus among member countries on key issues remains difficult. Referring to the Iran-US and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, he noted that BRICS foreign ministers had been unable to muster the courage to issue joint statements on either matter.
Tharoor Notes Trade Imbalance Within BRICS
Tharoor said this reflected poorly on the trade front for India as well, citing that India’s imports from BRICS nations had increased while its exports had declined. Despite these shortcomings, Tharoor described BRICS as strategically and diplomatically significant for India.
Tharoor Highlights BRICS’s Global Economic Weight
Tharoor noted that the Global South comprises more than 100 countries, and that BRICS’s 11 member nations represent a substantial share of the world’s population and nearly 41 percent of the global economy. He described India’s hosting of the BRICS summit as a matter of prestige for the country.
