A tough balancing act.

In July 2022, "India is likely to tread cautiously on the expansion of BRICS as it apprehends that China may try to use the process of admitting new members into the five-nation bloc to widen its ambit of geopolitical influence. Though Russia has thrown its weight behind China and supported the move, India is reluctant to be seen as an active participant in the bid by the two to project the bloc as an alternative to G20." DH. "India does not want to disturb the strategic balance in its ties with Russia on the one hand and with the US and other Western nations on the other." In July 2023, "India and Brazil are pushing back against a Chinese attempt aimed at swiftly expanding the BRICS group of emerging markets, with intention of bolstering its political influence and countering the US, officials with knowledge of the matter said." Firstpost. "When Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa get together for their annual summit in Johannesburg next month (August), a top issue for discussion will be whether to expand the club. Emerging economies might be better off if it disbands." Reuters. "The fault line between India and China, which fought a small war in the Himalayas in 2020, is one reason the BRICS club has done so little. India sees the Peoples' Republic as its most dangerous threat." A group of non-aligned countries would be more beneficial. So what happened at the summit last week? "The BRICS bloc of developing nations agreed on Thursday (24 August) to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated." Reuters. And, "BRICS leaders left the door open to future enlargement as dozens more countries voiced interest in joining a grouping they hope can level the global playing field." Why would nations want to join a bloc which is practically of little use? Maybe because they are fed up of being terrorised by a group of white nations, plus Japan, with a history of colonial conquest and slavery - the G7. The G7 is a gang comprised of Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Japan, Italy and the US, with the European Union as a 'non-enumerated member'. wikipedia. In 2020, the G7 accounted for over half the global net wealth (at over $200 trillion), and 30-43% of global GDP. They use their economic strength to bully any nation not willing to kowtow to their diktats by levying sanctions. In a malicious act of spite, the US pressured Russia not to supply cryogenic engines to India which held back our peaceful satellite research by two decades. Will the BRICS be able to unshackle the world from the stranglehold of the G7? Not as long as China is the dominant member. Because China has its own ambitions of replacing the US as the world's bully. India needs the US to keep China down. But, not say so. Tough.