Tharoor defends BRICS after Chidambaram questions its benefits for India
What's the story
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has defended the BRICS grouping after senior party leader P Chidambaram questioned its benefits for India. Speaking before the BRICS summit, Tharoor emphasized that the grouping is a major platform for the Global South, which has over 100 countries. "...here we have 11 key players from the Global South. This grouping, the 11 BRICS countries, represents a majority of the world's population and 41% of global GDP," he said. "It's not a small matter," he said.
Summit prestige
Great global value in hosting BRICS summit: Tharoor
Tharoor also stressed the "great global value" of hosting the summit, calling it a "matter of prestige."
"Secondly, of course, having a dozen heads of state and government, not only members of BRICS but also some observers coming at presidential and prime ministerial level, is a matter of great prestige for us. It shows a certain diplomatic convening power, which has value in and of itself on the global stage."
Trade concerns
Trade imbalance with BRICS nations a concern, says Tharoor
However, he also acknowledged challenges in reaching consensus on global issues within BRICS, citing past disagreements over joint statements on conflicts like Iran and Russia-Ukraine.
"When the foreign ministers met, we ended up...issuing a chair's declaration rather than an agreed joint declaration. Will that happen again? It would perhaps be seen by some as a setback."
Tharoor also flagged India's trade imbalance.
"Our exports to...BRICS countries have gone down, while our imports from the BRICS countries have gone up."
Political backlash
What Chidambaram said
Chidambaram had earlier questioned the tangible benefits India gained from recent BRICS summits.
"I don't know how many Presidents and how many Prime Ministers are coming. I don't think...last two or three BRICS summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results."
"In fact, we are part of BRICS...SCO...G20, and we are part of QUAD. What benefits are we getting out of that? I can't see. In the last two or three summits, I didn't see any benefits," he said.