'Non-confrontational with US': Brahma Chellaney dissects Modi's cautious BRICS move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to skip the BRICS virtual trade summit and instead send his foreign minister has drawn an analysis from geostrategist Dr Brahma Chellaney, who said the move underlined New Delhi's priority to avoid a public clash with Washington at a sensitive time.

"A Balancing Act or Weakening His Negotiating Hand? Modi's decision to skip the BRICS virtual trade summit - despite India being a prime victim of Trump's weaponization of trade - was clearly calculated to avoid antagonizing Washington during a delicate phase of negotiations, even at the cost of appearing less committed to the BRICS bloc," Chellaney wrote on X. "By deputing his foreign minister to attend alongside Putin and Xi, Modi sidestepped joining a united BRICS front against Trump's tariffs."

He said the decision showed Modi's broader diplomatic style. "This reflects his broader non-confrontational approach to America. Unlike in Trump's first term, when Modi retaliated with counter-tariffs to U.S. trade actions against India, New Delhi has refrained from answering Trump’s second-term tariffs and sanctions in kind. For Modi, whose foreign policy has had a subtle pro-Western tilt, the bilateral relationship with the U.S. remains the overriding priority."

Bloomberg reported that Brazil convened the summit to rally major emerging economies against Trump’s tariff actions and to reaffirm support for multilateralism. President Xi Jinping, President Vladimir Putin and Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are confirmed participants, while South Africa’s leader is also expected.

China's Foreign Ministry said: “President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS Leaders' online summit in Beijing on September 8 and deliver an important speech.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that Putin would also join.

Trump has repeatedly attacked BRICS, warning in July of additional tariffs on nations aligning with what he called "anti-American policies." He has criticised efforts by the bloc to promote trade in local currencies as an attempt to bypass the U.S. dollar.

Despite the pressure, Trump’s tariffs have had the effect of driving BRICS members closer to Beijing, with the group expanding membership across Asia and the Middle East. The timing of the meeting comes days after a week of diplomatic activity in Tianjin, where Xi hosted Putin and Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Modi would not attend. "PM Modi will not be attending. Instead, the South Asian nation will be represented by its foreign minister," MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters on Friday.

Monday's virtual summit is scheduled to last only a couple of hours. Leaders' speeches will not be open to the press, and there will be no joint statement at the conclusion.