Recalibrating BRICS: India’s Moment in a Fragmented World

About this episode

The episode discusses India's role in BRICS as it prepares for the 2026 presidency and the challenges it faces in a fragmented world.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vrinda Sahai is joined by Ana Garcia, Associate Professor at PUC-Rio and Coordinator at the BRICS Policy Center, to discuss the evolving direction of BRICS as India assumes the 2026 presidency. The conversation reflects on Brazil’s 2025 chairship, the bloc’s continued focus on reforming global financial governance, and the cautious progress on issues such as local currency trade, financial coordination, and institutional reform. Ana Garcia also highlights the limits of BRICS as a unified geopolitical actor and outlines key priorities for India, including strengthening financial mechanisms, advancing climate and health cooperation, and consolidating the expanded BRICS membership. Can India advance BRICS’ financial and monetary coordination while managing geopolitical pressures and US tariff tensions? How should BRICS balance its ambitions as a voice for the Global South with its internal divisions and constraints? What priorities should shape India’s presidency as the bloc consolidates its expanded membership?

People in this episode

Host: Vrinda Sahai

Guest: Ana Garcia

Topics covered

• BRICS
• India
• global financial governance
• geopolitical pressures
• climate cooperation
• health cooperation

Keywords

• financial coordination
• local currency trade
• institutional reform
• Global South

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Recalibrating BRICS: India’s Moment, Interpreting India

Places: India, Brazil, US, the Global South

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