China gained most from BRICS summit, India had to navigate differences: Kapil Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister Kapil Sibal on Monday said China had benefited the most from the recently concluded BRICS summit in New Delhi, while describing the grouping as a “motley” collection of countries from which definitive resolutions were difficult to emerge.

Speaking at a press conference, Sibal said India, as the chair, had to navigate differences among member countries to secure a joint declaration.

“For us, it was like navigating through Hormuz. China and Russia want to make it an alternative anti-western bloc and RIC (Russia, India, China), is now actually Russia, Iran and China.... We will not want it (to be an anti-Western bloc),” he said.

Sibal said the New Delhi declaration did not call for an alternative currency or de-dollarisation, describing this as an achievement for India.

He also said the grouping's position on the Israel-Palestine conflict reflected the changing global geopolitical situation.

“But we have got to know, as well as other countries of the world, that the US will not win the war against Iran. That reflected in our resolution as there was talk of Palestine and two-nation theory,” he said.

Calling BRICS a “motley” collection of nations, Sibal said it was a notable achievement that the members adopted a joint statement without controversy.

“That is precisely why I noted at the outset that its a notable achievement for our government that a joint resolution was passed without sparking any controversy. I want to say that this cannot be a non-western alliance. China benefitted the most from it,” the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.

Sibal, however, questioned whether the commitments made in the declaration would translate into action, saying only time would tell whether it would be implemented on the ground.

The BRICS summit concluded in New Delhi on Sunday, with member countries adopting a declaration that called for reforms in global governance and the trading system. The grouping also announced outcomes related to logistics and supply chains, startups and infectious disease control.

(With inputs from PTI)