BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was initially more than just an economic union. Its main purpose was to give developing nations in the Global South a greater voice in global governance. The group developed into a platform where developing countries could work together on trade, development, and global change, particularly in organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations Security Council.[1] BRICS took a significant stride in 2024 with the addition of new members, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, and others. This demonstrated that the group was poised to play a greater role in the world.[2]
India and China are the two largest nations in this group, and they stand out because of their size, economy, and expanding strength. Their relationship has not been smooth despite the fact that they belong to the same bloc. There has been a great deal of competitiveness, friction, and unresolved issues between the two nations for a long time. These topics regularly come up in BRICS meetings and decisions.[3] Although they all want to make the world a better place, they don’t always agree on how to achieve it or who should be in charge.
This insight examines the impact of the rivalry between India and China on the future of BRICS. It claims that even while their competition makes things more difficult, it may also help BRICS expand in ways that make it more balanced and representative, if both nations choose to work together rather than fight.
What Is BRICS and Why Is It Expanding?
In the 2000s, the BRICS group was formed to bring together the most powerful new economies in the world. At its heart, BRICS was established to counter the influence of Western countries in global decision-making. Members believed that organizations like the UN Security Council, the World Bank, and the IMF no longer adequately reflected the realities of a changing world, especially when it came to giving the Global South a voice.[4]
The group’s objectives evolved as it expanded. BRICS launched the New Development Bank (NDB) in 2015 to help pay for infrastructure and development projects in its member states and other developing countries. It also set up the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), a joint financial safety net that is meant to help people in financial trouble.[5] These steps showed that BRICS was more than just a political idea; it was becoming a real economic force.
BRICS made one of its biggest moves yet in 2024 when it added more members. It invited six new countries to join: Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Argentina (which later dropped out), Saudi Arabia (whose entry is pending), and the United Arab Emirates.[6] This growth showed two things: first, that more countries saw the benefits of joining a group that wasn’t part of Western alliances; and second, that BRICS itself wanted to have more political and economic power around the world. Adding states like the UAE and Egypt, which have a lot of resources and are powerful in their own right, also shows that the coalition is moving toward being more focused on trade and energy, given the UAE’s strategic position as a global trade hub and Egypt’s control over the Suez Canal, a key transit route for global energy shipments.
However, not all of the members agreed on how to expand. China strongly supported it because Beijing saw it as a way to strengthen its leadership and shape the group to suit its own worldview.[7] India didn’t mind growth, but it preferred a more careful and balanced approach that would keep BRICS from becoming too focused on China.[8]
India and China don’t agree on how and how quickly to expand, which is just one example of how their rivalry manifests in the group. BRICS is undoubtedly growing in size and ambition, but it now has to deal with more diverse members, interests, and power struggles.
The India-China Rivalry: Why It Exists
On paper, India and China may be BRICS partners, but in practice, they often end up on opposite sides. Their rivalry has been going on for a long time and is complicated by a mix of historical distrust, political differences, and different ideas about who should lead the world.
The border that they disagree on is the most obvious point of contention. The two nations went to war in 1962. Since then, there have been a number of tense military standoffs, the most well-known of which were the Doklam crisis in 2017 and the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, which claimed the lives of soldiers on both sides.[9] These incidents have strained diplomatic relations and increased animosity between citizens of both countries. As a result, more troops are now stationed and ready to engage in combat along the contested Line of Actual Control.
India and China are also engaged in a power struggle in Asia and the Global South, not just at their borders. China has built strong relationships with other countries through its huge Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which involves big investments in infrastructure. India, on the other hand, is suspicious of the BRI, especially since parts of it go through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which India claims.[10] India has strengthened its ties with countries like the U.S., Japan, and Australia through the Quad alliance. This group promotes an open Indo-Pacific region and, in China’s eyes, is a way to halt China’s rise.
There is also economic friction. India banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeChat, after the Galwan incident, citing national security reasons.[11] It also made it harder for Chinese companies to invest in key industries. This was a clear sign that India was no longer comfortable relying on Chinese technology or money, which meant that the two countries were moving toward economic decoupling.
These issues naturally extend to BRICS. China often tries to set the group’s direction by pushing for faster growth and stronger integration. India, on the other hand, likes a slower, more even approach.[12] Both countries agree that the world should be more fair and open to everyone, but they disagree on how BRICS should change and who should be in charge of that change.
In short, the rivalry between India and China is caused by unresolved issues, strategic competition, and a great deal of distrust. But in order to understand the challenges and opportunities BRICS faces as it tries to grow, one must be aware of this rivalry.
Analysis of India-China Bilateral Trade and Global Trade Position
One of the most significant aspects of India-China relations is trade, which shows how their economies are linked and how uneven they are on the whole. In contrast, China primarily sends high-value manufactured goods like electronics and machinery, while India primarily exports raw materials like cotton, iron ore, and agricultural products. As a result, India has long had a trade imbalance. This mismatch is part of a bigger trend. India’s trade with China in goods rose from US$71 billion in FY 2015-2016 to US$128 billion in FY 2024-2025, an increase of 81 percent.[13] But the growth has mostly helped Chinese goods, which has made politicians in New Delhi worry that the country is becoming too dependent on China.
In addition to their shared connections, the two nations have distinct roles in global trade. China is still the biggest exporter in the world, making up more than 14 percent of all merchandise exports globally. India, on the other hand, was the 12th-largest exporter in the world in 2023, sending US$455 billion abroad.[14] In services, India is a world leader, with a 4.6 percent share of the global market, making it the seventh-largest supplier of commercial services. India is also the second-largest exporter of IT and telecommunications services, accounting for 10.2 percent of global exports in that sector.[15]
Even though India and China trade extensively, these figures show that their situations are very different. China has significant influence in industrial supply chains, while India has emerged as a major player in the services sector. This imbalance shapes their relationship with each other and how they work toward their goals in BRICS and the global economy as a whole.
How the Rivalry Affects BRICS Decisions
The rivalry between India and China influences decision-making within BRICS. Their divergent goals frequently make things move more slowly and create tension in the group. China has long wanted BRICS to expand quickly and cooperate more. It sees this to push its notion of a multipolar world where China is in control.[16] India, on the other hand, is more cautious and wants development to happen more slowly and evenly so that no one member, notably China, may take over the group.[17] This difference became quite clear during negotiations over the 2024 expansion. China wanted nations like Iran and Ethiopia to be included; India preferred options like the UAE, which is more stable economically and doesn’t take sides in geopolitical issues. People’s approaches to dealing with money also vary.[18] There are also disagreements about how to handle money. For instance, China supports big infrastructure loans through the New Development Bank to move its Belt and Road agenda forward. India, on the other hand, has called for more openness and equal representation in lending decisions.[19] Even trade shows signs of imbalance: new data on BRICS agricultural exports shows that China benefits the most, which worries members like India who feel left out.[20] Even while these tensions are often handled diplomatically, they make it harder for BRICS to act swiftly or speak with one voice, especially when its two biggest members are taking divergent positions.[21]
Future Scenarios
The way India and China deal with their rivalry in the coming years will probably affect the future of BRICS significantly. One likely outcome is that things will only get worse. BRICS could face challenges if India and China begin to compete more openly in politics, economics, or even the military. Key decisions may be delayed or obstructed altogether, and smaller countries will need to pick a side.[22] If this happens, BRICS might lose its trust as a group that collaborates and turn into more of a symbol rather than a useful organization.
Another, more optimistic perspective is that while the two nations know they are competitors, they nevertheless cooperate well in the group. China and India could be able to set their disagreements aside and work together on the bigger goals of BRICS, which include changing international institutions, encouraging cooperation among developing countries, and limiting Western power. This won’t resolve their issues, but it could help them work together and find common ground within the group to keep things moving forward.[23]
In a third scenario, the importance of new members is growing. The 2024 extension of BRICS included countries like the UAE, Egypt, and Iran, with their own objectives and interests in the region.[24] These countries could help BRICS stay balanced by making it simpler for India and China to work together and encouraging a more diverse internal setup. Even though the main issues of the group haven’t been resolved yet, this variety could help it become a more adaptable and representative team.[25]
Conclusion
The competition between China and India is one of the key factors influencing BRICS today and in the future. They are unable to collaborate effectively because they are trying to outcompete each other, which makes it difficult to make judgments, adopt effective strategies, and it produces stress for the group. However, it also forces the group to think about its purpose and how it works. This contest has sparked significant discussion on equity, equilibrium, and the distribution of power that may not have occurred otherwise.
The competition between India and China might make BRICS a more open and strategically sophisticated group instead of splitting it apart. Brazil and South Africa are also active members, while Egypt and the UAE are new members. This illustrates that the organization doesn’t have to be led by just one or two countries. This supports the concept that BRICS may become a more open and representative organization. If India and China can work out their differences via diplomacy and shared interests, BRICS might continue to be an important player in world affairs. It might not only call into question the current method of doing things, but it could also make new norms for how powerful countries work together.[26] It might not only put the existing institutions to the test, but it could also set new standards for how rising powers work together.
BRICS’s future doesn’t depend on getting rid of its competitors; it relies on how successfully it handles them. For the bloc to work, its leaders will need to be willing to do more than just be ambitious. They must also be able to view things clearly, hold back, and make deals.
[1] Council on Foreign Relations, “What Is the BRICS Group and Why Is It Expanding?,” 2023.
[2] “Growing Pains and Absent Leaders Hang Over BRICS Summit,” Financial Times, July 5, 2025.
[3] Raj Verma and Mihaela Papa, “BRICS Amidst India–China Rivalry,” Global Policy Journal 12, no. 4, September 2021.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] “China Pushes for BRICS Expansion to Legitimize Its Vision of a New World Order,” Le Monde, October 22, 2024.
[8] Hung Tran, “China and India Are at Odds Over BRICS Expansion,” Atlantic Council, August 8, 2023.
[9] Arvind Mohan, “India-China Rivalry and Its Long Shadow Over the BRICS,” E-International Relations, November 2, 2024.
[10] “China and India: Cooperation and Rivalry in BRICS,” Asia Maior, 2024.
[11] “Back-to-Back BRICS and Quad Meetings,” Chatham House, 2025.
[12] “India’s BRICS Balancing Act,” USIP, 2024.
[13] “Rebalancing Trade Ties: India’s Path to Reduced Chinese Import Dependence,” The Economic Times, August 1, 2025.
[14] Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), 2025.
[15] Press Information Bureau (PIB), 2024.
[16] Ibid.
[17] “Growing Pains and Absent Leaders Hang Over BRICS Summit.”
[18] Raj Verma and Mihaela Papa, “BRICS Amidst India–China Rivalry.”
[19] Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2024.
[20] “China and India: Cooperation and Rivalry in BRICS.”
[21] Mohammed Nuruzzaman, “Will China-India Rivalry Make BRICS Obsolete?,” SAGE Journals 7, no. 4, 2022.
[22] “India’s BRICS Balancing Act.”
[23] “Growing Pains and Absent Leaders Hang Over BRICS Summit.”
[24] “China Pushes for BRICS Expansion to Legitimize Its Vision of a New World Order.”
[25] TODA Peace Institute, “Triangular Relations Within BRICS,” 2024.
[26] Ibid.
