India wary of Xi's market integration and AI proposals ahead of BRICS presidency

During the final session of the BRICS summit, President Xi Jinping presented a five-point agenda that includes market integration through lower tariffs, stronger investment protection, and the creation of an open-source artificial-intelligence platform. Indian policymakers reacted with caution, arguing that such measures could open Indian markets to Chinese products and firms without adequate safeguards. Since withdrawing from the RCEP in 2019, India has pursued a series of free-trade agreements with nations such as Japan, the EU and the UK to diversify its supply chains.

The AI proposal, which promotes Chinese large language models, raises alarms about technology infiltration, especially as India has already blocked several Chinese apps and devices. Additional elements of Xi’s plan, like special economic zones and factory upgrades, are viewed through the lens of the Belt and Road Initiative’s past attempts to control strategic assets. Overall, the proposals are likely to face resistance from India and other nations wary of growing Chinese economic influence.