BRICS at 20: Forging a New World Order or a House Divided?

NEW DELHI, India – September 11, 2026 – As leaders gather in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, the bloc is not just meeting; it is marking a formidable 20-year milestone. What began in 2006 as a meeting of foreign ministers from four high-growth economies has morphed into a geopolitical heavyweight. Now an expanded eleven-member group, BRICS is leveraging this anniversary to project a powerful narrative: that it has become, as experts recently articulated in a discussion hosted by media outlet haiwainet.cn, the “leading echelon of the Global South.”

Ahead of the summit, commentary from Professor Qian Feng of Tsinghua University and Professor Xu Feibiao of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) framed the next decade as a pivotal one for the bloc. But as the summit unfolds under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” the critical question is whether this coalition of diverse and often competing nations can transform its growing statistical might into unified, impactful action. The world is watching to see if BRICS can truly reshape the global order or if its internal fractures will limit its ambitions.

From Acronym to Alliance: The Evolution of a Global Force

Two decades ago, 'BRIC' was little more than an investment banking term. Today, the expanded BRICS represents a concrete challenge to the post-Cold War unipolar world. The group’s recent, rapid expansion is the most tangible evidence of its growing appeal. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were integrated as full members. They were followed by Indonesia in 2025, and a new category of “Partner Countries”—including nations like Malaysia, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan—was established, further extending the bloc's reach.

This expansion has created a formidable entity. The eleven core members now account for nearly half the world's population (49.5%), a staggering 40% of global GDP, and over a quarter of global trade. This demographic and economic weight gives substance to its claim of representing the Global South. The New Delhi summit, held at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam, is a showcase for this newfound confidence. The agenda is packed with discussions on reforming global governance, boosting intra-bloc trade in local currencies, and establishing new development finance mechanisms to rival Western-led institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

Yet, this rapid growth is not without its challenges. Integrating diverse economies and political systems, from democratic India to autocratic Russia and theocratic Iran, creates significant friction. While united in their call for a more multipolar world, their individual national interests often diverge, creating a complex web of cooperation and competition that will define the bloc's next chapter.

The Dragon and the Elephant in the Room

Nowhere are the internal contradictions of BRICS more apparent than in the relationship between its two most populous members: China and India. Their dynamic is a microcosm of the bloc's potential and its peril. On one hand, both nations champion the BRICS agenda of empowering developing countries and share an interest in a global order less dominated by the West. On the other, their own deep-seated strategic rivalry and unresolved border disputes cast a long shadow over the group's unity.

Relations have been tense since deadly border clashes in 2020, and despite recent efforts at a diplomatic thaw—including high-level talks on the sidelines of previous summits—mistrust lingers. While Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance in New Delhi provides a crucial opportunity for dialogue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the fundamental competition for influence in Asia and across the Global South remains.

This rivalry manifests in their strategic approaches to BRICS itself. China has been the primary engine behind the “BRICS Plus” expansion model, seeking to build a broad coalition under its influence. India, while supporting expansion, has proceeded with what some analysts call “cautious openness,” carefully balancing its own leadership ambitions. This is evident in India’s approach to financial integration; while supportive of increasing trade in local currencies, New Delhi has publicly stated it is not interested in a common BRICS currency, a project favored by others. How these two Asian giants navigate their differences will be a critical determinant of the bloc's overall effectiveness.

Technology as the New Battlefield for Influence

Beyond geopolitics, the real-world impact of BRICS may be most keenly felt at the intersection of technology and finance. India’s 2026 Chairship has placed a significant emphasis on innovation, aiming to leverage technology for development and resilience. The summit’s agenda is replete with discussions on Artificial Intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and fintech collaboration. A key initiative is the BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition, an event running parallel to the summit that showcases dozens of Indian deep-tech startups, signaling a push to move beyond rhetoric and into practical application.

This focus on technology is not merely for show; it is central to the bloc's strategic goal of creating parallel economic systems. The development of a unified payment system, often dubbed 'BRICS Pay,' aims to facilitate seamless cross-border transactions in local currencies. This initiative, if successful, would be a direct challenge to the dominance of the US dollar and Western-controlled financial messaging systems like SWIFT. By building their own digital and financial infrastructure, BRICS nations are constructing the plumbing for a new economic order, one that is more resilient to sanctions and external political pressure.

These efforts are about more than just trade; they are about strategic autonomy. By fostering cooperation on everything from sustainable energy grids to digital service delivery, the bloc is creating an ecosystem where members can share knowledge and technology to solve development challenges without relying on Western institutions. The success of these technological initiatives will be a crucial test of whether BRICS can deliver tangible benefits to its members and truly offer a compelling alternative model for the Global South.