By Devsagar Singh
The outcome of the just- concluded BRICS summit in Delhi was a subtle message to President Trump that the US hegemony was all but over and that any more attempt to browbeat China, Russia and India will only isolate it further.
The Delhi Declaration , of course, avoided any mention of the US , but the underlying theme could be deciphered without much effort. There is little doubt, therefore, that Trump may have closely watched the summit proceedings from the White House study.
True, both China and India needed th US market and vice-e-versa , but expanding trade relations with countries around the world, specially European Union, is slowly replacing the United States. Trump’s weaponising of tariff in his second term annoyed every country around the world, specially China and India. His imposition of sanctions with impunity is only making matters worse.
Chinese President Xi Zinping’s call for integrating the market is significant in this context. As a major manufacturing power, China needs to sell its products without restrictions like Trump’ s sanctions. If the 11 Brics member nations and over a dozen partner countries decide to operationalize President Xi’s prescription, US will be the biggest loser. Consumer goods will become costlier without cheaper Chinese products and Walmart stores across US may face closure. The already inflationary situation in the country will worsen to hit Trump’s political agenda.
The need for India is to see the writings on the wall and prepare itself for the future. PM Modi’s push for “Make in India” is a step in that direction, but the speed is so slow that it may miss the bus again. China and India started opening their market almost simultaneously. See where China has reached. Surely China had an advantage because of its working systems as a unitary power. But India today is not much different. The NDA-BJP rule over 21 states , apart from the Centre. What stops them from opening manufacturing units in these states? India boasts as a power surplus country. It will create much needed jobs for the youth.
The problem is that the BJP and their governments are overly busy with making plans for winning the next election. It affords them little time to take concrete steps for creating jobs through setting up of manufacturing units across the country.
President Xi’s agenda is clear as the chairship of BRICS goes to China. Who knows at its next summit in Beijing, Xi might succeed in pushing his agenda for an integrated market for the block? As a key member of the grouping, Russia is unlikely to block the move. So will Brazil. India will have to willy nilly go with the majority. Once it happens, Chinese goods cannot be stopped from entering India. As it is, India cannot celebrate many of its festivals like Diwali, Holi etc without cheap Chinese goods.
BRICS as it stands today is poised for a big leap if only to teach a lesson to Trump and his obduracy. Brics nations account for more than half the world’s GDP. Its economic heft is unchallenged. Geography suits it immensely. Ultimately, economy is bound to have an upper hand. Politics can wait.