Congress leader P Chidambaram has questioned what India has gained from recent BRICS summits, saying he has not seen any clear or tangible benefits from the grouping in the last few years.
His remarks have triggered a political exchange with the BJP, coming just ahead of the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi, which India will host on September 12 and 13. India assumed the BRICS chairmanship this year and is seeking to use the presidency to push cooperation among emerging economies on trade, technology, finance and global governance.
Chidambaram questioned whether the meetings of major emerging economies had delivered enough practical outcomes for India. He also raised doubts about the level of participation at the upcoming summit, asking how many presidents and prime ministers would actually attend.
His criticism comes at a time when the BRICS grouping has expanded considerably. The bloc now has 11 members, including India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The expansion has increased the group’s economic and geopolitical weight but has also made consensus more difficult.
The BJP has rejected Chidambaram’s assessment and argued that India has gained from its engagement with BRICS. The party has pointed to the growth of India’s exports to BRICS countries and the group’s expanding share of the global economy as evidence that the grouping remains strategically important.
The political argument comes as India prepares to welcome leaders and senior representatives from across the expanded BRICS bloc. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are among the major leaders expected to participate, giving the summit added diplomatic importance for New Delhi.
India’s BRICS presidency is being held under the theme of building resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. New Delhi has been pushing for greater cooperation in areas such as technology, climate action, development finance, trade and digital payments.
One of the most important economic proposals under discussion is greater connectivity between the digital payment systems of BRICS countries. India is pushing for cooperation between central bank digital currencies to make cross-border payments faster and easier. The proposal builds on earlier efforts to improve payment-system interoperability among member countries.
The initiative could eventually reduce the time and cost involved in international transactions, particularly for businesses engaged in trade within the BRICS bloc. However, differences between member countries and technical challenges could make implementation difficult.
Financial cooperation has long been one of the central ambitions of BRICS. The grouping has sought to reduce dependence on traditional Western-dominated financial institutions and strengthen alternatives for developing economies. The New Development Bank, headquartered in Shanghai, remains one of the most visible institutions created through BRICS cooperation.
Trade is another area where India is looking for stronger outcomes. The expanded BRICS grouping represents a large share of the global population and economy, creating a potentially significant market for Indian goods and services.
Yet the economic opportunity comes with complications. India’s trade relationship with China remains heavily tilted towards imports, while geopolitical differences continue to influence business ties. Although diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing has improved in some areas, restrictions, regulatory concerns and strategic mistrust continue to limit the full potential of bilateral investment and trade.
The upcoming summit is also taking place against a difficult geopolitical backdrop. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has created differences within BRICS because Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all members of the expanded grouping but have different strategic interests in the region.
Those divisions could make it harder for India to secure a strong joint declaration. Member countries are discussing how the bloc should respond to the conflict, but differences over regional security and the positions of individual governments could complicate negotiations.
That challenge highlights the central question behind Chidambaram’s criticism: whether BRICS can move beyond statements and meetings to deliver outcomes that directly benefit member economies.
India, however, sees value in having a seat at a forum that brings together some of the world’s largest emerging economies. BRICS gives New Delhi an opportunity to engage simultaneously with countries such as China and Russia while maintaining relationships with Gulf economies and other developing nations.
The grouping also provides India with another platform to push for reform of global institutions. New Delhi has repeatedly argued that organisations such as the United Nations Security Council, International Monetary Fund and World Bank need to better reflect the economic and political weight of developing countries.
The 2026 summit will therefore be closely watched for more than diplomatic statements. Progress on trade, digital payments, development finance, technology cooperation and supply-chain resilience could provide measurable outcomes for India and other members.
Chidambaram’s remarks have brought the question of tangible benefits into the political debate just as India prepares to host the summit. The government will now face pressure to demonstrate that its BRICS presidency can produce concrete economic and diplomatic gains rather than simply another round of high-level meetings.
With the expanded grouping carrying greater economic weight but facing sharper internal differences, India’s challenge will be to turn its leadership role into practical cooperation. The success of the New Delhi summit will ultimately be judged by what members can agree to implement after the leaders leave the capital.
