India Assumes 2026 BRICS Presidency: Pivoting to Inclusive Growth Amid Trade Tensions
New Delhi, Thursday, 1 January 2026.
Assuming leadership today, India prioritizes the Global South and digital infrastructure, strategically pivoting the expanded bloc away from anti-Western de-dollarization narratives amidst rising global trade volatility.
A Strategic Pivot to Digital Infrastructure and Welfare
India officially assumed the rotating presidency of the BRICS grouping on Thursday, January 1, 2026, marking a shift in the bloc’s operational focus [1]. Following Brazil’s 2025 chairmanship—which prioritized “strategic institutionalisation” and successfully navigated the integration of new members—New Delhi is expected to direct the alliance’s attention toward tangible development goals [2]. Key priorities for the year include poverty alleviation, healthcare access, and raising living standards across member nations [2]. Central to this agenda is the promotion of digital public infrastructure, with India planning to position its “India Stack” as a scalable development model for the Global South [2].
Navigating Geopolitical Fault Lines
A critical aspect of India’s leadership will be its diplomatic positioning regarding the West. Experts suggest that New Delhi is unlikely to pursue the aggressive “de-dollarization” strategies often advocated by other factions within the bloc [1]. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has explicitly stated that the organization must be careful not to acquire the image of a group attempting to replace existing global institutions [3]. Reinforcing this balanced stance, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously quoted Prime Minister Modi’s characterization of the alliance as “non-western” rather than “anti-western” [3]. This approach aims to maintain internal cohesion among the eleven full member states—which now include Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates—while avoiding unnecessary diplomatic isolation [3].
Economic Weight in a Turbulent Global Landscape
The economic influence of the expanded bloc continues to grow, with the Economist Intelligence Unit projecting that the collective size of the BRICS+ economies will overtake the G7 by 2045 [3]. However, significant internal disparities remain, as China currently accounts for approximately 70% of the organization’s total GDP [3]. India takes the helm at a time when global trade is being shaken by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, creating a complex environment for multilateral cooperation [1]. Building on the momentum from Brazil’s tenure, which established a framework to increase climate finance for developing countries by $1.3 trillion, India is expected to further develop financial cooperation mechanisms and the role of the New Development Bank throughout 2026 [2].