Hong Kong, Sep 16 (IANS) India secured a significant diplomatic achievement at the 18th BRICS Summit by helping the increasingly diverse bloc reach agreement on a joint declaration despite major differences over global conflicts and the international order, a report has stated, citing analysts.

According to observers, New Delhi achieved “pragmatic consolidation” by avoiding pressure on members to take a position on contentious geopolitical issues while maintaining the focus on trade, technology and a stronger voice for the Global South, a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP) stated.

At the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi over the weekend, leaders of the expanded 11-member grouping deliberated on international conflicts, trade tensions and global economic governance before adopting a joint declaration.

As chair, India placed emphasis on digital public infrastructure, a fairer global financial system and greater representation for developing countries, the report noted.

Speaking to SCMP, Manoj Kewalramani, geopolitical analyst and chairman of the Takshashila Institution’s geostrategy programme in India, said that reaching consensus on the text was “no easy feat”.

“The fact that New Delhi could balance competing interests while getting principled agreements is a success,” he said, noting that the declaration addressed key issues without delving into “the politics of apportioning blame”.

Kewalramani said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus during the summit was not on Western dominance but on addressing the exclusion of developing nations.

“The solution, therefore, is larger representation and a stake in rule-making. This is the anti-West vs non-West distinction between the two,” he said.

Sarang Shidore, Director of the Global South programme at the Washington-based Quincy Institute, told SCMP that BRICS foreign ministers could not agree on a joint statement in May because of deep divisions between new members Iran and the United Arab Emirates over the Middle East conflict.

“India was able to find a solution to this impasse,” he said, citing a paragraph in the declaration that expressed “deep concern” and urged “maximum restraint” amid rising tensions, while refraining from directly blaming any specific country.

According to Shidore, Beijing regards BRICS as a platform to counterbalance Washington and strengthen its implicit claim to be leader of the Global South.

“India would like BRICS to be more complementary to existing US-led institutions rather than directly rivalling them,” he said.

Highlighting that Delhi also competed with Beijing for leadership of the Global South. Shidore further said, “But neither side has allowed their competitive elements to overpower their constructive engagement with BRICS. In this sense, both have shown maturity as major powers in Asia.”

--IANS

scor/as