From what was perceived to be a platform for economic cooperation, Brics has evolved to play a larger role in other fields. This time, by engaging with Bimstec, it has taken one step more towards expanding its area of operation
Ever since the Foreign Ministers of initial four Bric (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries met for the first time in New York in 2006, to a strong five-member group that it is today, Brics (with the addition of South Africa) has completed 10 years of engagement. Of course, people may like to count the dates from the time Bric held its first summit in 2009, but it’s best to go by 2006, when the group first touched base as one.
What is interesting is the fact that even without coming together formally on the Brics forum, some of the countries have adopted similar or near similar diplomatic positions on international issues. This indicates that even when working independently, there was somewhere a meeting of minds of the countries of this forum. For example, on the Palestine-Israel conflict, and sanctions and attack on Iraq by Nato forces, there was a sort of unanimity.
And even after Brics was formed, member countries did take similar positions on international issues. For example, on the question of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 against Muammar Gaddafi’s libya, Russia, and to some extent China, India and South Africa, adopted a common posture. Though South Africa later reluctantly voted with France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America due to certain clause, it made some strong statements against the US, the UK and France later.
Commonalities were there between India and China on the issue of climate change, where the two countries called on rich nations to step up efforts and cut down the carbon footprint, even though the two have differences on issues relating to sanctioning terrorists, isolating countries that export terror, on who can be a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group, or on trade matters.
While Russia is usually on the same page with India on several fronts, when it comes to reforms in the United Nations Security Council, it, along with China, despite committing to reforms, does not seem to be in a hurry to get other countries from the Brics grouping as permanent members.
Brics needs to keep itself relevant with flexibility in the changing world. Terrorism is a brutal reality which needs deep cooperation. I accept the position of freedom in reporting, but our national interests dominate our perspective when we write or report. For a country that has faced 10 terror attacks in eight months, how can the focus not be on terrorismIJ
We have seen economies being destroyed by terrorism. Surely, Brics would not like that to happen to its member countries. Though commitments on action against terror groups grew bigger this time and there were several paragraphs in the declaration on fighting terror, it would have been better if more terror groups like the lashkar-e-Tayyeba and the Jaish-e- Mohammad had been named, as the Brics forum did for the Islamic State, the Al-Nusra Front, or for that matter Al Qaeda and Boko Haram in the past. Incidentally, none of these have have impacted Brics nations as directly as the lashkar and the Jaish have.
But, despite differing on several issues, and with a lot of potential and promise to work together, Brics has come a long way. Today, there is more camaraderie and partnership on several issues like agriculture and medical research, food security, energy, climate change and for the creatiion of a more secure economic condition for all its members. Four of the Brics countries are today among the 10 IMF member states. The Brics Bank — New Development Bank — is shaping well as a money-lending institute that is relatively more liberal and non-discriminatory in its approach. The Brics Contingent Reserve Arrangements (CRA) is expected to strengthen the global financial safety net.
So, from what was perceived to be largely a platform for economic cooperation, Brics has slowly evolved to play a bigger role in several other fields.
This time, by engaging with Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) members, Brics has taken one step more towards expanding its area of cooperation. And as the Russian Sherpa noted, the Brics format was not becoming outdated, but considered as a successful example of cooperation on a wide range of topics by other groups such as Bimstec, which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Sri lanka and Thailand.
Today, one may criticise the United Nations for not having lived up to global expectations, and call for its reform. Or say that Cento (Central Treaty Organisation) has failed — and now, for that matter, even question Saarc’s success. But the same cannot be the same for Brics. Because, looking at the dynamics of multilateral forums, Brics has a place among the league of the SCO, G-20 and the Asean. For its present and influence and stability, the world cannot ignore Brics.
(The writer is Senior Editor, The Pioneer. The article is based on a speech delivered at the Brics Media Summit in New Delhi)