Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has advised the Indian government to ensure that the BRICS grouping remains a non-Western platform without turning into an anti-Western forum. His comments came ahead of the BRICS summit being hosted by India in New Delhi, where leaders from member countries are expected to discuss a wide range of global political and economic issues.
Tharoor said India has a particular responsibility as the host and chair of the summit to represent the concerns of the Global South. At the same time, he stressed that India’s direct national interests should remain an important consideration in the country’s approach to BRICS.
According to Tharoor, India should present BRICS as a forum that is independent of Western alliances but should avoid allowing the grouping to become explicitly hostile towards Western countries. He said such an approach would be more consistent with India’s broader diplomatic interests.
The comments come at a time when BRICS is facing a complicated geopolitical environment. The grouping has expanded significantly in recent years and now includes countries with different foreign policy priorities. The members include major powers such as India, China and Russia, along with several other emerging economies. The expanded grouping has increased its global economic and political significance, but differences among members also make it difficult to establish common positions on international conflicts.
India is hosting the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026. The summit is taking place against the backdrop of conflicts and geopolitical tensions in West Asia and Europe. The ongoing conflict involving Iran has created additional challenges for the grouping because BRICS members have differing interests and positions on the issue.
As the host country, India is expected to focus on areas where BRICS members can cooperate despite their differences. Economic cooperation, trade, technology, supply chains, development and greater representation for developing countries are among the broader issues associated with the grouping.
Tharoor also referred to the expected high-profile bilateral engagements involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Modi’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin would attract considerable international attention.
Xi Jinping’s visit is particularly significant because it is his first visit to India in seven years. Relations between India and China have experienced tensions since the 2020 border confrontation, although the two countries have taken steps in recent years to improve diplomatic engagement. Economic relations continue to face challenges, including regulatory restrictions, investment concerns and mutual strategic distrust.
A meeting between Modi and Xi is therefore expected to be closely watched for indications about the future direction of India-China relations. Areas such as border stability, trade and investment could form part of the broader diplomatic discussions between the two countries.
The expected meeting between Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin is also significant. India and Russia have maintained long-standing strategic relations, particularly in defence, energy and other areas. Russia remains an important partner for India, while New Delhi has simultaneously maintained strong relations with the United States, European countries and other Western partners.
This balancing approach is central to the argument made by Tharoor. His comments suggest that India should use BRICS to advance the interests of developing countries and strengthen its diplomatic influence without allowing the platform to become identified with opposition to the West.
The BRICS grouping itself has increasingly become a platform for discussions about a more multipolar international system. Several members have supported greater use of local currencies in trade and the development of alternative financial mechanisms. However, differences among member countries remain a major factor in determining how far the grouping can move towards common geopolitical positions.
The New Delhi summit is also expected to focus on practical cooperation. Proposals under discussion include a BRICS Incubator Network, a Startup Innovation Fund and a framework for cooperation on logistics and supply chains. These initiatives reflect an effort to strengthen economic and technological cooperation rather than limiting BRICS discussions to geopolitical issues.
For India, the summit provides an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic role as a bridge between different groups of countries. New Delhi has traditionally sought strategic autonomy by maintaining relationships with multiple major powers rather than aligning itself exclusively with one geopolitical bloc.
Tharoor’s comments therefore underline the importance of maintaining this balance. His position is that India can support the concerns of the Global South and promote a more representative international order while continuing to engage constructively with Western countries.
The BRICS summit will provide an important test of how India manages these competing priorities. With leaders such as Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin attending, the discussions in New Delhi are expected to receive considerable international attention. At the same time, India’s approach to the summit will be closely watched for how effectively it balances BRICS cooperation with its wider strategic and economic interests.