Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the upcoming virtual summit of Brics leaders, which is being hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Instead, India will be represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The meeting, scheduled for September 8, aims to discuss a collective response to US President Donald Trump's punitive tariffs and promote multilateralism.
Modi's decision to skip the event, despite India preparing to assume the Brics presidency next year, is seen as a strategic move to balance its relationship with the US. This comes on the heels of his participation in the SCO summit, which was viewed as a reassertion of India's strategic autonomy. The ongoing trade dispute has intensified with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stating that India must either support the dollar and the US or face a 50% tariff. This rhetoric has caused friction, particularly as India has consistently rejected the idea of de-dollarisation within Brics.
Meanwhile, there is also suspense surrounding who will lead India's delegation at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York later this month. While a slot was reserved for the Prime Minister, sources indicate that his travel is currently not scheduled, unless there is a breakthrough in trade talks with the US that would warrant a high-stakes bilateral meeting with President Trump. The current tensions make such a meeting unlikely. The decision reflects India's cautious approach to managing its complex relationships with global powers.