India’s Role in the BRICS+ Economic Bloc: Power, Potential, and Partnerships

India is not just one of the founding members of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa); it is emerging as a pivotal force within the expanded BRICS+ framework. As the grouping grows in size and ambition—adding new members and diversifying its agenda—India is playing a strategic balancing role that leverages its geopolitical weight, economic reforms, and global partnerships.

In this blog, we explore India’s evolving role in BRICS+, how it aligns with its national interests, and the broader implications for global trade, digital economy, and multipolar diplomacy.

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🌍 What is BRICS+? The Expansion of a Global Power Bloc

BRICS+ is an extended format of the original BRICS group. In 2023 and 2024, countries such as Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were invited to join discussions and summits, signaling a shift toward a multipolar economic order.

BRICS+ aims to:

• Strengthen South-South cooperation

• Reform multilateral institutions (like IMF and World Bank)

• Promote de-dollarization and use of local currencies

• Foster innovation, trade, and sustainable development

🔗 Read more about India’s broader economic diplomacy here:

👉 India in a Multipolar World: Navigating Geopolitical Trade Shifts

🇮🇳 India’s Strategic Interests in BRICS+

India has consistently supported BRICS while maintaining strategic autonomy. Its priorities within BRICS+ include:

1. Strengthening Multilateral Institutions

India pushes for reforms in global governance bodies like the UN Security Council and WTO, aiming for more equitable representation.

2. Trade and Financial Cooperation

India supports cross-border payment mechanisms that reduce dollar dependence, including initiatives like the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB).

3. Energy Security & Green Finance

With growing energy demands, India collaborates with oil-rich BRICS+ members while pushing for green finance and ESG investments.

🔗 Learn how India is adopting sustainable finance here:
👉 Green Finance and ESG Investing in India: A New Chapter in the Stock Market

📊 Economic Powerhouse: India’s BRICS+ Contributions

India’s economic role in BRICS+ is substantial. As the fastest-growing large economy, its GDP, digital economy, and manufacturing sector are attracting global investors.

🔹 Key Contributions:

• Digital Public Goods: India shares platforms like UPI, Aadhaar, and CoWIN as models for scalable digital infrastructure in developing economies.

• Startup Ecosystem: India has over 100 unicorns, many of which are AI and fintech focused.

• Pharma and Manufacturing: India is a key supplier of generic medicines and is expanding under “Make in India 2.0”.

🔗 More on manufacturing reforms:
👉 Make in India 2.0: How the Manufacturing Push is Shaping the Economy

⚖️ The Balancing Act: India’s Diplomatic Nuance

India maintains close ties with Western economies while being an active BRICS+ member. This dual approach helps it:

• Avoid alignment in great-power rivalries

• Maintain strategic autonomy

• Drive investment from both BRICS+ and G7 nations

India’s role is unique as it mediates and aligns interests between rival blocs. This balancing act is increasingly vital as global trade becomes more fragmented.

📦 BRICS+ and India’s Trade Opportunities

BRICS+ offers India access to:

• New markets in Africa, South America, and West Asia

• Energy and resource partnerships

• Supply chain diversification amid China+1 strategies

India is positioning itself as a manufacturing and logistics alternative to China, offering geopolitical stability, a large workforce, and business-friendly reforms.

🔗 More on logistics expansion:
👉 How India’s National Logistics Policy is Transforming Supply Chains

🌱 Sustainability, Innovation & Digital Cooperation

India is championing themes of:

• Digital transformation through open-source platforms like UPI and ONDC

• Green energy partnerships including solar alliances and EV infrastructure

• Climate finance and clean tech innovation with BRICS+ nations

These initiatives align with global SDG targets and attract FDI from sovereign funds and multilateral banks.

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🛡 Challenges and Criticisms

While the BRICS+ framework holds promise, it faces challenges:

• Ideological differences among member countries

• China-India tensions, especially post-2020

• Lack of cohesion in decision-making

India often voices concerns about the dominance of certain members and insists on consensus-driven frameworks.

Yet, India remains committed to a constructive role in shaping the bloc’s policies and focus areas.

🚀 What Lies Ahead: The Future of India in BRICS+

Looking ahead, India’s goals within BRICS+ will include:

• Becoming a tech and trade bridge between the Global South and developed nations

• Driving infrastructure, health, and digital public good sharing

• Promoting decentralized governance and inclusive growth models

India’s rising global stature, combined with its youthful population, tech capabilities, and reform agenda, makes it a cornerstone of the BRICS+ vision.

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