A Test of Relevance for BRICS in a Fragmented World Order

Gist The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi concluded with the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Declaration , expanding the bloc's focus into local currency trade, artificial intelligence, and global governance reform. However, beneath this diplomatic consensus lies a fragmented grouping struggling with internal power imbalances and the oversized economic dominance of China. For civil services aspirants, this development highlights the shift from deep-seated multilateral alliances to pragmatic, ad-hoc plurilateral coalitions, raising critical questions about the actual strategic heft BRICS provides to India in the contemporary world order. Background BRICS originated following its first summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia , in 2009 , initially uniting emerging economies to challenge Western hegemony and demand equitable representation in global governance. The bloc has since expanded into an 11-member body. Historically, its core mandate was to create a multipolar world by reforming Bretton Woods institutions and reducing dependence on Western financial systems. However, the present geopolitical reality has shifted international relations towards "variable geometry"—a system where deep-seated, value-based alliances are replaced by ad-hoc, pragmatic coalitions built around specific shared interests. The delta for…