Power Moves: Your Daily Briefing on Global Alliances and Geopolitics

The BRICS summit just wrapped in New Delhi, and its final declaration condemns unilateral sanctions not authorized by the United Nations. In our last briefing, we talked about the shifting balance of power, and this summit was designed to be exactly that—a power move by the world’s major emerging economies. But the real question is whether the unity on paper matches the reality on the ground. Here’s the sweep of what just moved. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and its newer members including Iran—voiced serious concern over rising tensions in the Middle East. That’s not a surprise. But they specifically called out “deliberate attacks” on civilian infrastructure. A clear signal. On the sidelines, India and China held a critical bilateral meeting.

This comes as whispers grow louder about formalizing a trilateral Russia-India-China grouping. That’s a move that would fundamentally re-draw security conversations in Asia. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin used his platform to call for expanding the UN Security Council. He wants more seats for Asia, Africa, and Latin America, accusing Western powers of thinking in “colonial categories” and using sanctions and tariffs as weapons. Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, was there, pushing for the bloc to de-dollarize. He wants BRICS members to trade in their own national currencies, a direct play to insulate them from Western financial pressure and U.S. sanctions. And China’s Xi Jinping positioned BRICS as a “vanguard for maintaining peace,” urging members to oppose violations of sovereignty.

This is China using the bloc to build a coalition that it can lead, creating a counterweight to American power. So. The summit is over. The joint declaration is out. Everyone goes home. But the real story is the fundamental tension at the heart of BRICS, and it all revolves around India. Here's the thing. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood up in New Delhi and said, very clearly, “BRICS is not against anyone.” He framed the summit as a “coming of age” moment, where the Global South evolves from being a rule-taker to a RULE-SHAPER. It’s a message of evolution, not revolution. He’s telling Washington and Brussels, "Don't worry, this isn't an anti-Western club." Then you listen to the others. Putin is talking about countries accustomed to “brute force” and “colonial categories.” He’s not being subtle.

He sees BRICS as a vehicle for pushing back against Western dominance. For Russia, this is about survival and relevance in a world that has tried to isolate it. Then there’s Iran. For Tehran, this is a lifeline. They are buried under sanctions. Being in a bloc that officially condemns unilateral sanctions and is openly discussing ways to bypass the dollar is not just a diplomatic win. It’s an economic imperative. And, of course, there is China. Beijing sees BRICS as the institutional foundation for a multipolar world where America is just one power among many. When Xi says BRICS should be a “vanguard for peace,” he’s also saying it should be a counterweight to NATO and other U.S.-led alliances. You see the problem. Modi is trying to host a party for everyone.

He’s trying to use the BRICS platform to build out India’s own influence—strengthening ties with Africa, with ASEAN, with the Gulf states. For New Delhi, this is about maximizing its own options, maintaining strategic ties with Russia while deepening partnerships with the United States and Europe. It’s a high-wire act. But Russia and China aren't there for a party. They are there to build a battering ram. This is the core divergence. Is BRICS a forum for the Global South to get a better seat at the existing table? Or is it a project to build a whole new table, with entirely different rules? India wants the first. China and Russia are pushing hard for the second. The bilateral meeting between India and China is where this tension becomes most visible.

They can sign a joint BRICS declaration, but the friction between them is the bloc’s biggest internal weakness. The talk of a formal Russia-India-China grouping is an attempt to manage that friction, but it also pulls India further into an orbit that makes its Western partners deeply uncomfortable. So what changed this week? The gap between the public statements and the private agendas just got wider. The declaration from New Delhi was a show of unity. But the speeches from Putin, Xi, and Pezeshkian were a declaration of INTENT. They are trying to turn BRICS into something it was not at its founding. India just hosted a summit that showcased its rising diplomatic clout. But it also put a spotlight on the impossible balancing act it’s trying to pull off.

It’s walking a tightrope between two competing visions for the future of global power. And right now, that rope is stretched very, very tight.