Dr. Indrani Talukdar | Fellow, Chintan Research Foundation, India|
The global order today is no longer defined by a single axis of power. Instead, it is shaped by overlapping—and often competing—platforms such as BRICS, the G7, and the G20, each reflecting distinct visions of governance, development, and geopolitical alignment. Out of three, currently, the BRICS is in great focus. It is because of the coming together of the rising economic powers, particularly with recent expansion that holds massive economic weight. It acts as a voice for the Global South, aiming to reform global governance structures. The 2024 expansion, including major oil producers like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, has given the group control over roughly 44 per cent of the world’s crude oil production, strengthening its global influence. It serves as a platform for economic cooperation, technological transfer, and increased trade among emerging markets.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal, high-level forum of leading industrialized, democratic economies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the U.S., and the EU—dedicated to coordinating global policy on economic stability, security, climate change, and technology. They aim to uphold shared democratic values, international law, and human rights. The G20 was created in 1999, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, initially as a meeting of Finance Ministers. The aim was to work on shared solutions to avoid a repetition of the financial crises of the 1990s. The summits of G20 Heads of State and Government were established in the aftermath of the 2008 economic and financial crisis. The next year, the G20 was designated the “leading global economic cooperation forum”. It represents 85 percent of global GDP, and account for two thirds of the world’s population. This economic and demographic clout supposedly enables them to address systemic crises effectively. However, it is been noticed that with the emerging of BRICS and the traction it is gaining among the countries, the other institutions especially G7 is losing on the sheen that it had. Also, the prevailing feeling among the Global South of an equitable world order is also pushing towards a stronger and expanded BRICS.
With the Iranian war that has engulfed the entire world has churned the world order including these three institutions. There are rumbling noises coming out including the BRICS. Amid this turbulent landscape, India is preparing to assume the BRICS presidency in 2026 while simultaneously engaging with upcoming G7 and G20 summits. This raises a fundamental question—is New Delhi merely navigating these competing blocs, or is it actively rebalancing the global order? Or it is managing both in the complex geopolitical landscape?
Fragmentation of the Global Order
The post-Cold War consensus, anchored in Western-led institutions, is increasingly under strain. The G7, representing advanced industrial democracies, continues to wield significant influence in finance, technology, and security. However, its legitimacy is being challenged by shifting economic realities and the growing assertiveness of the Global South.
The G20, conceived as a more inclusive forum, has itself become a theatre of geopolitical contestation and especially after the Ukraine war started in 2022. The 2023 G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration signalled a rare moment of consensus amidst the war, with all member states underscoring the imperative to end the war in Ukraine through diplomacy, while reaffirming principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The 2025 Johannesburg Summit, meanwhile, exposed deep fissures, with major powers either absent or disengaged—reflecting a declining consensus within the grouping. Looking ahead, the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami is already mired in controversy, including reports of South Africa’s exclusion. Such developments underscore how geopolitical rivalries are increasingly intruding into multilateral forums.
Against this backdrop, BRICS emerged as a platform seeking to reshape global governance norms. With its expansion to eleven members—including major energy producers and emerging economies—it now represents nearly half the world’s population and a significant share of global GDP.
BRICS: Challenger or Complement?
BRICS is often portrayed as a counterweight to the G7, but such a binary framing is overly simplistic. The grouping’s diversity—ranging from democracies like India to more centralised political systems—limits its coherence. Yet, this very diversity also constitutes its strength, as it embodies the multipolarity it seeks to promote.
The expansion of BRICS+ during 2023–24, along with the introduction of partner countries, signals a clear ambition to institutionalise South–South cooperation and reduce dependence on Western-dominated institutions. Importantly, BRICS has sought to position itself not as an anti-Western bloc but as an alternative voice within the global system.
India has been central to shaping this narrative. Indian policymakers have consistently emphasised reform rather than replacement of global institutions, articulating a ‘non-West but not anti-West approach. This perspective is reflected in India’s engagement within BRICS+.
Nevertheless, tensions persist. The United States and its allies increasingly view BRICS as a geopolitical challenger, particularly in areas such as de-dollarisation, alternative financial systems, and critical mineral supply chains. These dynamics are contributing to a widening divide between BRICS+ and the West.
India’s BRICS Presidency: Agenda and Opportunity
India’s BRICS presidency in 2026 comes at a critical juncture. Under the theme “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” New Delhi aims to transform BRICS into a more action-oriented platform.
The presidency reflects a strong emphasis on inclusivity and people-centric development. India’s vision projects a synthesis of tradition and modernity, symbolising unity, dialogue, and shared growth among member states. At its core is a “Humanity First and People-centric” approach.
India’s priorities include strengthening economic, social, and institutional resilience to address global uncertainties such as supply chain disruptions, health crises, and climate risks. It also seeks to promote innovation through emerging technologies—including digital public infrastructure, fintech, and artificial intelligence—to enhance service delivery and foster future-ready growth.
Further, India aims to deepen multilateral cooperation through improved policy coordination, development finance, trade facilitation, and institutional reform. Sustainability remains a central pillar, with a focus on climate action, green finance, and energy transitions aligned with both national and global priorities.
This approach builds on India’s successful G20 presidency in 2023, where it championed the inclusion of the African Union and foregrounded Global South concerns. India’s positioning as a bridge-builder enables it to engage both BRICS and Western-led platforms without being subsumed by either.
G7: Influence Amid Decline
The G7 continues to play a central role in global economic governance, particularly in setting standards for technology, climate policy, and finance. The upcoming 2026 summit in France is expected to focus on supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence governance, and geopolitical security.
However, the grouping’s limitations are becoming increasingly evident. It represents a declining share of global GDP, lacks representation from major emerging economies, and often struggles to address the priorities of the Global South.
For India, engagement with the G7 remains pragmatic. It provides access to advanced technologies, capital, and strategic partnerships in areas such as semiconductors, clean energy, and defence. At the same time, India has avoided formal alignment, preferring issue-based cooperation over bloc politics.
Internal divisions within the G7 have also become more pronounced, particularly during US President Donald J Trump’s second term. Disagreements over the Ukraine war, relations with Russia, and the ongoing Iranian conflict highlight a lack of cohesion. While the G7 has collectively called for de-escalation, it has not uniformly supported U.S. actions against Iran. This suggests a degree of internal balancing among member states.
Controversies surrounding participation in upcoming summits, including reported tensions over South Africa’s invitation, further illustrate the political complexities within the grouping.
G20: Between Promise and Paralysis
The G20 was envisioned as the premier forum for global economic coordination and demonstrated its effectiveness during the 2008 financial crisis.
In recent years, however, it has struggled to maintain cohesion. The Johannesburg Summit of 2025 underscored how geopolitical rivalries—particularly among the United States, China, and Russia—have weakened consensus-building.
Although the G20 has expanded its agenda to include development, climate change, and digital governance, its effectiveness is increasingly questioned. India’s presidency in 2023 briefly revitalised the forum by focusing on inclusivity and concrete outcomes. However, sustaining this momentum remains challenging in an increasingly polarised global environment.
India’s Strategic Doctrine: Multi-Alignment
India’s engagement with these platforms is best understood through the framework of multi-alignment. This strategy involves engaging the G7 on technology, security, and capital flows; leveraging BRICS for Global South leadership and institutional reform; and using the G20 as a bridge for consensus-building.
India’s ability to operate across these forums stems from its unique positioning. It is a major economy yet part of the developing world; a democracy but not aligned with Western alliances; and a state that maintains strategic autonomy in its foreign policy. This enables India to avoid binary choices and instead shape outcomes across multiple platforms.
Navigating or Rebalancing?
The question of whether India is navigating or rebalancing the global order does not lend itself to a binary answer. In practice, New Delhi is doing both simultaneously.
First, India is reshaping global agendas. Its emphasis on issues such as development finance, climate justice, and digital inclusion has influenced discussions across BRICS, the G7, and the G20. Second, India is driving institutional change. Its role in securing African Union membership in the G20 and its advocacy for United Nations reform reflect broader efforts to democratise global governance. India’s emphasis on diplomacy and dialogue over coercion further reinforces its normative approach.
Additionally, India is offering alternative development models. Its digital public infrastructure is increasingly seen as a scalable solution for developing countries, providing an alternative to both Western and Chinese frameworks. Its focus on demand-driven, transparent, and debt-free South–South cooperation enhances its credibility.
At the same time, India remains cautious. It avoids direct confrontation with the West and resists efforts to transform BRICS into an explicitly anti-Western bloc. It also carefully balances tensions arising from U.S.-China rivalry and Western positions on Russia or any country.
India’s response to the ongoing Iranian conflict exemplifies this approach. It has expressed concern, called for restraint, and emphasised dialogue without taking sides or providing military support. This calibrated stance reflects an understanding of global interdependence and the need for stability to sustain inclusive growth.
Risks and Constraints
Despite its strategic agility, India faces several challenges. A notable emerging dimension within these platforms is the increasing tendency of member states to target one another, driven by divergences in strategic autonomy and their respective ties with countries that may be arch-rivals of the state raising objections. This trend highlights the internal contradictions within multilateral groupings.
For instance, during the ongoing Iranian conflict, Iran—a BRICS member—reportedly targeted another BRICS+ member, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a close ally of the United States that hosts American military bases. The Iranian conflict illustrates these tensions. Reports suggest that Iran sought India’s leadership, as BRICS president, in issuing a statement condemning attacks by the United States and Israel. This placed New Delhi in a delicate position. India responded cautiously, calling for dialogue and diplomacy while maintaining engagement with all stakeholders. In its statement India stressed on addressing the underlying issues through diplomacy and dialogue for the war that is going on between warring parties. It also highlighted the importance of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region. It has not taken sides, including in providing any military assistance. This calibrated approach reflects a recognition that global interdependence still necessitates cooperation with advanced economies for stability and peace that would help in inclusive development and growth for everyone. While such restraint may attract criticism, it aligns with India’s long-term strategic interests. Prioritising diplomacy over alignment enhances its credibility as a balancing power.
The G7 has called for de-escalation and continues to support the principle of a non-nuclear Iran. However, it has stopped short of fully endorsing the United States’ military actions or the justification provided by the Trump administration for strikes on Tehran. The grouping has also emphasised the need to ensure safe and unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The G20 is bearing the economic consequences of the conflict. Countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), particularly the United Kingdom, are among the most affected. Disruptions in energy and fertiliser markets are expected to drive up energy and food prices across G20 economies. European nations, already strained by the Ukraine war since 2022, face compounded pressures. Most of the European countries along with others are not siding with the United States. The rising geopolitical tensions may further undermine the forum’s effectiveness. Additionally, Western resistance to institutional reform could pose challenges in the future, even though current mutual support, at least on paper, exists on issues such as UN Security Council reform, counterterrorism, and climate action. Hence, the current global turbulence affects all major platforms, including BRICS, the G7, and the G20. Internal contradictions—stemming from divergent interests among powerful members—limit their cohesion.
For India, these constraints pose a challenge to its vision and championing the cause of inclusive growth and stability at the global and regional levels.
India today stands at the intersection of three competing visions of global order. The G7 represents the established industrial powers; BRICS embodies transformation and multipolarity; and the G20 reflects the ongoing struggle to reconcile these dynamics.
Rather than choosing sides, India is crafting a third path—one that bridges divides, amplifies the voice of the Global South, and incrementally reshapes global governance. At the same time, it recognises the importance of engaging with the Global North to ensure stability and inclusive growth at both regional and global levels.
In this sense, India is not merely navigating the global order; it is gradually rebalancing it. The success of this approach will depend on India’s ability to sustain diplomatic agility, deliver tangible outcomes through platforms like BRICS, and maintain credibility across competing blocs. It’s ability to sustain its leadership role will depend on its domestic economic performance and its capacity to deliver on global commitments.
As the world moves toward a more fragmented yet interconnected future, India’s role as a balancing power may well define the contours of the emerging multipolar order. It’s BRICS presidency of 2026 that is pillared on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability is building lot of hope amidst a fractured world order.
[ Opinions expressed personal. ]
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