Context:
India's diplomacy will be put to the test during the BRICS summit in South Africa, which will take place in the midst of challenging geopolitical circumstances. Though its historical impact is debatable, the BRICS have the capacity to transform world politics given their worldwide representation, which exceeds that of the UN Security Council and the G7 but falls short of the G20.

What is BRICS?  
·         Jim O'Neill, the chairman of Goldman Sachs, coined the phrase "BRIC" for the first time in 2001. Brazil, Russia, India, and China were all a part of it.
·         In 2009, the BRIC leaders met for the first time in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
·         In 2010, South Africa was added.
·         42% of the world's population, 23% of its GDP, and 18% of its commerce are represented by the BRICS group.
  
Significance of BRICS:
·         Capable of influencing the future of global politics. 
·         Greater worldwide representation than the G-7 and UNSC, but less than the G-20, which is dominated by the West. 
·         Greater diversity in the global governance forum.
·         Around 40 nations have formally or unofficially indicated interest in expanding the BRICS.

Concerns with the BRICS:  
·         Limited economic agreements amongst its members
·         No attractive investment destination
·         Not so much capable to influence global geopolitics 
·         A revisionist and reactive bloc

India's Situation  
·         India has historically resisted the formation of blocs since they are fundamentally opposed to multipolarity and egalitarian global governance. Nevertheless, joined the following blocs:
1.      A part of non-Western multilateral forums like the Global South, BRICS, and SCO.
2.      Participant in Western Multilateral Forums such as the G-20, BRICS, and Quad (Australia, Japan, the U.S., and India), as well as an occasional invitee to the G-7 (in recent years).
·         India is situated in the heart of a new geopolitical fault line, where both sides have interests and embrace it, but none totally owns it. 
·         India views multipolarity as being about equity, inclusiveness, and representation more than ideological or other bloc rivalry.

Steps to be taken by India:  
·         In order to protect its own national interests, India must work to advance more equal and representative global governance. 
·         India needs to limit China's influence in non-Western venues.
·         India must take care to avoid alienating other global South nations who might support China's efforts to broaden the membership of those forums.
·         India needs to take several actions at once to demonstrate its global leadership, including asserting itself in non-Western global fora, limiting the steadily expanding Chinese influence, addressing Western normative expectations, and negotiating a place for itself in Eurocentric fora.

Conclusion  
In terms of global governance, more imperfect institutions that represent contemporary realities are preferable to one imperfect organisation that is disconnected from contemporary society. Hegemonic perfection should not be the goal of international politics; rather, democratic flaws should be celebrated. India must therefore defend its legitimate position in all international fora without joining a group.

LTX Mains Question
Q. Discuss about how BRICS is transforming global geopolitics and how it might be able to help the international system overcome its problems.