Opinion: BRICS At 20: India Gives Momentum, China And Russia Add Strategic Weight

The 2026 BRICS Summit, hosted by India, marks a potentially significant turning point and a milestone in the evolution of global multilateral decision-making. PM Modi framed BRICS as entering a "coming of age" phase as it reaches its 20th anniversary, calling for an ambitious agenda for the next two decades on inclusive multilateralism. At its core is an increasingly assertive demand from the Global South for a more equitable international order - one that provides credible safety mechanisms to protect trade, connectivity and economic interests from geopolitical disruptions and that is suitable to different national conditions.The Prime Minister's opening remarks are to be construed against the backdrop of the continuing instability in West Asia and its implications for global commerce, particularly the security of sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) and the principle of freedom of navigation. Disruptions in strategically vital maritime corridors demonstrate how geopolitical conflicts, even when geographically distant, can impose disproportionate…