Chidambaram questions BRICS gains as BJP rebukes Congress ahead of summit

As India readies to host the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam, Congress MP P Chidambaram raised concerns that recent BRICS meetings have not produced measurable results for the country. He noted India's involvement in multiple multilateral forums, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, G20 and QUAD, and asked what concrete benefits arise from such memberships. BJP senior Nalin Kohli swiftly rebutted, suggesting the Congress is using the summit to score political points and questioning the party's diplomatic track record since 1947.

Kohli emphasized that the summit will enable direct engagements between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting heads of state, underscoring its importance. The exchange reflects a broader partisan dispute over India's role on the global stage as it marks its fourth BRICS chairmanship, coinciding with the group's 20th anniversary. The summit is also set to address the economic fallout from the West Asia crisis.