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Tharoor Highlights BRICS Benefits After Chidambaram Questions India’s Gains
Shashi Tharoor said BRICS is useful because it brings important developing countries together.
He said the 11 BRICS countries represent most of the world’s people and 41% of global economic output.
Tharoor also said hosting the summit gives India prestige and shows that it can bring leaders together.
However, he admitted that the countries do not always agree on major world issues.
Their foreign ministers previously failed to produce a joint statement on conflicts involving Iran and Russia-Ukraine.
Tharoor also said India’s trade with BRICS countries has become unfavorable because exports fell while imports rose.
P Chidambaram said recent BRICS meetings had not produced clear benefits for India.
The BJP criticized Chidambaram for making that argument.
Shashi Tharoor said BRICS gives the Global South an important platform.
He said the grouping represents 11 countries, most of the world’s population, and 41% of global GDP.
Tharoor called India’s hosting of the summit a matter of prestige and diplomatic convening power.
He acknowledged difficulties reaching consensus, citing disagreements over the Iran war and Russia-Ukraine conflict.
P Chidambaram questioned BRICS’s tangible benefits for India, while the BJP criticized his remarks.
- Who
- Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram, along with the BJP, discussed BRICS’s value to India.
- What
- Tharoor outlined BRICS’s diplomatic benefits while acknowledging problems with consensus and trade; Chidambaram questioned its tangible results.
- Where
- The discussion concerned the BRICS summit in Delhi and a previous BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi.
- When
- The remarks were made ahead of the BRICS summit in Delhi; Chidambaram spoke the previous Wednesday.
- Why
- The comments addressed whether BRICS has delivered concrete benefits for India and the challenges facing the grouping.
Benefits Questioned
Benefits Defended
Concrete results for India
Benefits Questioned
P Chidambaram said recent BRICS summits had not produced tangible benefits or results for India.
Benefits Defended
Shashi Tharoor said BRICS provides India with a platform for the Global South and demonstrates its diplomatic convening power.
Value despite disagreements
Benefits Questioned
The absence of agreement on major global issues could suggest fundamental incoherence within the grouping, according to the concerns Tharoor raised.
Benefits Defended
Tharoor argued that bringing together 11 major Global South countries and hosting numerous leaders has significant diplomatic value, even while acknowledging the challenges.
Trade outcomes
Benefits Questioned
Concerns about BRICS include India’s unfavorable trade pattern, with exports falling and imports rising.
Benefits Defended
Tharoor still described growing trade among BRICS countries as part of the grouping’s activity, while identifying the imbalance as a practical concern rather than dismissing BRICS entirely.
Key facts
- BRICS membership discussed
- Tharoor referred to 11 BRICS countries.
- Global economic share
- Tharoor said the countries represent 41% of global GDP.
- Diplomatic role
- Tharoor described BRICS as a platform for the Global South.
- Summit hosting
- He called India’s hosting of the summit a matter of prestige.
- Consensus problem
- BRICS foreign ministers issued a chair’s declaration rather than an agreed joint declaration after failing to bridge differences.
- Trade imbalance
- Tharoor said India’s exports to BRICS countries declined while imports increased.
- Chidambaram’s assessment
- Chidambaram said he had not seen tangible benefits from the last two or three BRICS summits.
Quotes
Shashi Tharoor
Congress MP and former UN diplomat
“I don't know how many Presidents and how many Prime Ministers are coming. I don't think the last two or three BRICS summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results.”
NDTV
“When the foreign ministers met, we ended up with India as chair issuing a chair's declaration rather than an agreed joint declaration.”
NDTV
Sources
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