December 29, 2025 | 04:28 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - India will take over the leadership of BRICS next year. The transition in leadership occurs amid global geopolitical tensions, growing international ambitions, and ongoing U.S. pressure on Global South countries.
The Indian government has announced that its BRICS presidency will focus on amplifying the voice of the Global South. According to a report from CNA on Monday, December 29, 2025, India wants to ensure that its leadership produces specific achievements for developing countries.
Despite having different national interests, India is seeking to demonstrate that the BRICS remains capable of being a platform for cooperation among countries facing similar challenges. These efforts come as BRICS faces increasing spotlight amid its growing role on the global stage.
BRICS Membership Continues to Expand
BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining later. In recent years, the group has expanded its membership to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
With this expansion, BRICS now encompasses about half of the world's population and nearly 40 percent of the total global economic output.
Last July, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a new interpretation of the BRICS acronym as Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability. The proposal marks India's effort to put new emphasis on development and sustainability cooperation within the bloc.
Development Agenda and Financial Scheme
Some analysts believe that India will push for the development of investment guarantee mechanisms as a key agenda item. This program aims to support climate change mitigation, poverty alleviation, the energy transition, and infrastructure development.
The initiative aims to create a financial structure controlled by the BRICS countries instead of Western institutions, using the New Development Bank (NDB).
Former Indian diplomat Rajiv Dogra said, "Countries, especially the small countries of the South, don't have to go and fill in complicated forms in Washington, but they can do it in an approachable way." He added that one of his ideas is to establish an additional institution alongside the New Development Bank specifically to handle such guarantees.
Mimicking the G20 Model
India also plans to adopt the G20 presidency model in 2023 by taking the BRICS agenda to various regions. As reported by The Indian Express, during the BRICS presidency in 2026, India will hold meetings and receive delegations in all 28 states and nine union territories.
Approximately 100 meetings will take place in about 60 cities, including ministerial-level forums and working groups. The BRICS leaders' summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi.
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