BRICS: Growing in Strength and Stature
来源：www.financialexpress.com;发表于:2024-02-19;人气指数:218
Monday, February
19, 2024
BRICS: Growing in Strength and
Stature
By Farooq Wani
BRICS brings five of the world’s largest
developing countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) together
on one platform to review and assess ongoing global developments that could
have an impact on 41 percent of the world population, 24 percent of global GDP
and 16 percent of global trade.
Seen as emerging markets, the BRICS
member states have sought to act as a counterbalance to traditional Western
influence by establishing deeper ties between themselves and through
cooperation on economic expansion, including trade.
2024 has started off with a bang with
five more countries – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates -joining this grouping as full members from January 1. Argentina was
also approached to join, but hasn’t done so thus far. However, 34 other
countries have expressed their desire in principle to join.
As it convenes for a summit-level
meeting in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan in Russia in October, all eyes will
be focused on Moscow’s leadership credentials when it assumes the BRICS
chairmanship. It is a well-known fact that Russia has been a proactive force
behind the alliance since its inception in June 2009.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir
Putin issued an agenda statement on assuming the BRICS chairmanship. He said
Russia’s focus would be to ensure “positive and constructive cooperation”
between all members.
Russia would continue to promote all
aspects of the BRICS partnership in three key areas (1)Politics and security,
(2) Economy and finance, and (3) Cultural and humanitarian contact. Other
priorities would include promoting cooperation in science, high technology,
healthcare, environmental protection, sports, youth exchanges and civil society
engagement.
Putin stressed on the need for ensuring
sovereign equality, choice of path of development, mutual consideration of
interests, aspiration for a multi-polar international order and a fair global
financial and trade system.
Putin said that in order to deal with
the challenges, Russia would be hosting over 200 events of different levels and
types during its BRICS chairmanship to address international and regional
issues. These will include:
• Security and stability related issues.
• Practical implementation of BRICS
Economic Partnership 2025 strategies
• Preparing the action plan for the
BRICS Innovation Cooperation 2021-2024 to ensure energy and food security.
• Enhancing the role of BRICS in the
international monetary system.
• Expanding interbank cooperation and
use of national currencies in mutual trade would be other focus areas.
In the context of the above listed
aspirational goals, the enduring friendship between India and Russia is
expected to take centre stage at this year’s BRICS Summit, and therefore,
merits explanation.
The strong bilateral ties between Russia
and India have been the cornerstone in the development of BRICS. It is a
partnership that has contributed significantly to the group’s mission of
fostering and enhancing economic cooperation, trade relations, ensuring
financial stability, and promoting scientific exchanges and joint projects.
This collaborative effort has positioned
BRICS as a driving force in the global economy, contributing significantly to
global GDP and trade. Expanding and extending beyond its economic aims, the
BRICS has also played a crucial role in elevating the role play of developing
countries on the world stage, especially on issues such as global financial
system reform, climate change and the need for gradually moving away from
selfish protectionist policies.
India uses the BRICS platform as an
opportunity to balance the Russia-China axis, and by extension the
international order. With the West putting up challenges on issues ranging from
WTO to climate change, the BRICS has emerged as the voice of developing
countries, or the Global South, fighting for the collective protection of its
rights.
BRICS also provides a platform for India
to galvanise its efforts against terrorism. Delhi has convinced the grouping to
take a strong stand against terrorism and brought about focused consultations
on specific aspects of terrorism. India is also using the BRICS platform to
demand UN reform, especially with regard to its and other countries’ membership
of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) and the Vienna-based Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG).
From India’s perspective, the BRICS also
provides it with an opportunity to engage with China and resolve the mutual
disputes. It also helps Delhi to garner support of other partner countries.
Another notable achievement is the
establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB). In the last decade, this bank
has emerged as an alternative financing mechanism for projects in participating
and other developing countries, and poses a credible challenge to traditional
international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank.
Additionally, the alliance actively
contributes to resolving global conflicts through diplomatic and other peaceful
means. The spirit of cooperation within BRICS extends to knowledge and
technology sharing in science, education, medicine, space, and IT, besides
innovation and joint research.
Russia and India have both been
longstanding and time-tested partners. The development of ties has been a key
pillar of India’s foreign policy. Since the signing of the “Declaration on the
India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000, when President Vladimir
Putin visited India, India-Russia ties have seen enhanced levels of cooperation
in almost all areas of the bilateral relationship, including political,
security, trade and economy, defence, science and technology and culture.
As the BRICS global summit approaches,
the alliance remains committed to shaping the global economic landscape and
addressing worldwide challenges. Preceding this event will be the “Spiritual
Leadership and Creative Economy” session organised by the BCMF- BRICS Cultural
Media Forum in Grozny in March 2024, setting the stage for strengthening of
alliances within BRICS.
The author is Editor Brighter Kashmir,
Author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist.
Financial Express
Source: www.financialexpress.com