BRICS Summit: Congress Urges Modi Govt To Restore India’s Diplomatic Stature, Flags Iran Issue

The Congress has urged the Modi government to use India’s BRICS chairmanship to restore the country’s diplomatic space and stature, with the party particularly flagging India’s position on Iran and the ongoing West Asia conflict.

In a statement issued by the Congress Foreign Affairs Department, headed by former union minister Salman Khurshid, the party said India must demonstrate that it remains a “credible and constructive partner” for the Global South, especially during times of crisis.

Congress specifically raised concerns over the “perceived endorsement of attacks on BRICS member Iran”, the Modi government’s “limited diplomatic role” during the ongoing war in West Asia and what it described as the government’s unwillingness to forge consensus among BRICS members.

The party said the government should take “deliberate steps to rebuild confidence among partners in the Global South” and demonstrate that India remains a reliable diplomatic partner.

Congress also invoked India’s historical role in global diplomacy, saying that successive governments since Independence had enabled India to legitimately claim to be the “voice of the Global South.”

Taking aim at the Modi government, the party said that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the position that India must be a voice for the Global South, “declarations of solidarity must be complemented by consistent and consequential action.”

The statement also called for India to provide “moral leadership and strategic clarity” to BRICS while balancing the promotion of a rules-based international order with India’s strategic and economic interests.

Congress further criticised what it termed the government’s “inadequate support” for BRICS founding member South Africa when it faced diplomatic pressures.

Beyond the diplomatic front, Congress called on the government to use the 18th BRICS Summit to advance India’s economic interests, including greater market access for Indian goods and services, removal of non-tariff barriers and stronger supply-chain security.

The party also called for efforts to operationalise the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, advance commitments made at the 2021 BRICS Summit and secure support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

Congress said BRICS should strengthen “South-South cooperation” without becoming caught up in bloc politics, and argued that India must demonstrate that “strategic autonomy can coexist with constructive and consequential multilateralism.”

The party also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a press conference and apprise the nation of what was discussed and finalised at the BRICS Summit.

In its concluding message, Congress said India must be “strong enough to advance its own interests, principled enough to stand with those who seek a fairer world, and trusted enough to serve as a credible bridge between the Global South and Global North.”