Chidambaram questions 'tangible benefits' from BRICS summit; BJP hits back with 'Naraz Fufa', 'FOMO' jibe

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram has questioned the "tangible benefits" India has gained from recent BRICS summits, saying he had not seen any significant outcomes from the last two or three meetings.

Speaking about the upcoming BRICS Summit 2026, set to begin Saturday in Delhi, Chidambaram said India is part of several multilateral groupings, including BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), G20 and QUAD, but questioned what concrete benefits the country has received from them.

“I don't know how many Presidents and how many Prime Ministers are coming. I don't think the last two or three BRICS summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results,” Chidambaram told ANI.

“In fact, we are part of BRICS, we are part of SCO, we are part of G20, and we are part of QUAD. What benefits are we getting out of that? I can't see. In the last two or three summits, I didn't see any benefits. Earlier, the BRICS Summits resulted in some tangible benefits,” he added.

New Delhi is gearing up to host the BRICS Summit for the fourth time. India’s Chairship of the 18th BRICS Summit is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, deploying a human-centric approach across its core pillars to reinforce institutional strength and support sustainable growth.

Responding to Chidambaram's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Thursday launched a scathing counterattack, likening the opposition's mindset to "Naraz Fufa".

Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader asserted that the opposition camp is driven by a deep-seated "Fear Of Missing Out" (FOMO) and alleged that the Congress routinely opposes national milestones whenever the country's global stature rises.

He said, "If you observe the Congress today, seeing that the BRICS Summit is taking place in India, they are opposing it just like that 'Naraz Fufa'. This is because the Congress knows that whenever the country prospers, whenever it involves boosting India's pride, the Congress party will always oppose it."

The BJP spokesperson further alleged that senior leaders have accepted that they will neither witness Rahul Gandhi take charge as prime minister nor host the BRICS Summit.

"Senior Congress leaders are beginning to realise that they may never see Rahul Gandhi become Prime Minister in their lifetime, nor will the Congress ever get the opportunity to host the BRICS Summit. Congress is experiencing FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). P Chidambaram’s statement reflects the attitude of that 'Naraz Fufa', made at Rahul Gandhi's behest; it is precisely this mindset that has kept them in the opposition and will ensure they remain there in the future," Pradeep Bhandari said.

His remarks came as preparations are underway in the national capital for the BRICS Summit 2026, with civic and infrastructure agencies stepping up arrangements ahead of the gathering.

(With inputs from ANI)