India’s BRICS Balancing Act: Can It Avoid a Chinese Bandwagon?

New Delhi is walking a diplomatic tightrope at the BRICS summit. India’s core goal is to keep the bloc relevant to the Global South—the developing nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. At the same time, India wants to prevent BRICS from turning into a Chinese-led bandwagon or an openly anti-Western alliance. This dual objective shapes every move India makes within the group. On one hand, New Delhi sees value in a platform that amplifies the voices of emerging economies. On the other, it resists any push that would force member states to choose sides against the United States or its allies. The challenge is clear. BRICS must grow its influence without becoming a tool for any single power. India’s position is that the bloc should focus on shared economic interests, not geopolitical confrontation. Whether New Delhi can hold this line as China’s influence expands remains the central question for the group’s future.