Jaishankar Defends BRICS Amid Insecurity in Developed Nations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended the relevance of BRICS, emphasizing its necessity in response to the exclusivity of groups like G7. During a discussion, he highlighted BRICS' evolution and its inclusive nature, contrasting it with the developed world's insecurity regarding the bloc's existence.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday dismissed the notion that BRICS is unnecessary, pointing to the evident 'insecurity' in the developed world over the grouping.

During a conversation with Ambassador Jean-David Levitte at the Global Centre for Security Policy, Jaishankar stated that just as the G7 continues to exist alongside the G20, BRICS has its place as well. Originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China—and later joined by South Africa—the bloc now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, and Ethiopia.

Jaishankar defended the formation of BRICS as a response to the exclusivity of the G7, emphasizing that the developing world saw value in creating its own club. He contrasted this with the ongoing relevance of the G7 despite the existence of the G20, questioning why both cannot coexist. He further elaborated on the Global South's shared identity and the principle of multi-alignment in foreign policy.

(With inputs from agencies.)