Kathmandu [Nepal], September 13 – US President Donald Trump’s policies are casting a shadow over the BRICS summit in New Delhi, despite the United States not being a member of the grouping.
Leaders from 11 countries including India, Brazil, South Africa, China, Russia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, are attending the summit with Saudi Arabia participating as an invited member.
The Iran war and the risk of new US tariffs have increased uncertainty in global energy markets and the wider economy putting both US allies and rivals under pressure.
However, BRICS members have not issued a joint statement openly criticising Washington or outlining a common strategy to counter Trump’s geopolitical and economic policies.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council told the BBC that India could not risk backing a joint statement critical of the United States particularly as it works to finalise a trade deal with Washington.
Russia and Iran are seeking a stronger BRICS position against Trump while China is unlikely to want the grouping seen as an anti-US platform. The UAE which hosts US military bases and has faced Iranian attacks also has limited room to support Tehran.
BRICS has expanded its economic and geopolitical influence representing about 49% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of international trade according to BBC Monitoring.
