THE BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF BRICS

MEETING when the world's first 'live-streamed genocide' in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war are in the backdrop, one would expect the two issues to dominate the BRICS summit opening in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday. But these issues are unlikely to take the centre-stage. Instead, that space is likely to be claimed by the politics behind the group's expansion, the battle for leadership of the Global South between China and India, and whether BRICS should evolve as an anti-Western bloc spearheaded by Beijing and Moscow.

- ED MATHEW

China. A major point of contention is the group's expansion. For India, it's a challenge as China intends to use BRICS enlargement to enhance its strategic influence in the developing world.

Since China's initial push in 2017 for a broader membership under the 'BRICS Plus' initiative, there has been a noticeable divide within the group with India and Brazil expressing reservations about the move. Both countries were initially wary of expanding the bloc, fearing it could dilute their influence. However, in the face of China's intensified push in 2023, India and Brazil acquiesced.