E-Paper
Tharoor breaks ranks with Chidambaram, backs BRICS Summit as ‘diplomatic power move’
Chidambaram on Tuesday stoked controversy when he questioned the tangible benefits India gained from such events.
Prefer HTon Google
The political row over Congress MP P Chidambaram's remarks on the BRICS Summit has taken a fresh turn, with party MP Shashi Tharoor breaking ranks to back the event and calling it proof of India's "diplomatic convening power”.
Chidambaram on Tuesday stoked controversy when he questioned the tangible benefits India gained from such events. His remarks came under sharp criticisms from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which later raised questions on the Congress’ approach to diplomacy.
Speaking to news agency PTI on Thursday, Tharoor said: “First of all, we're providing an important platform for the Global South. You know, the Global South is over 100 countries, but here we have 11 key players from the Global South who collectively represent much of the diversity of views, as well as the range of countries that we are essentially chairing on this particular occasion. This grouping, the 11 BRICS countries, represents a majority of the world's population and 41 per cent of global GDP.”
Also Read | 'No tangible benefits': Chidambaram takes a BRICS jibe, draws BJP flak
Deep Dive
He added: “It's not a small matter; it's something that has to be taken very seriously by the rest of the world.”
The Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram said the BRICS Summit is a “matter of great prestige” for India that is hosting the event this year.
“Secondly, of course, having a dozen heads of state and government, not only members of BRICS but also some observers coming at presidential and prime ministerial level, is a matter of great prestige for us. It shows a certain diplomatic convening power, which has value in and of itself on the global stage,” he said.
The 18th summit is scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam in the Capital during the weekend, on the theme 'Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.
On Wednesday, 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,” he told news agency 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.
Also Read | Relations over rivalry, people over politics: India looks to build BRICS bridges in uncertain world
The BJP subsequently questioned the Congress’ approach to diplomacy and likened the opposition's mindset to "naaraz fufa".
“It is a surprise to note the statement of Mr. Chidambaram and the Congress Party, particularly at a time when India is hosting such an important event, the BRICS summit, where many heads of state and heads of government will come, and there will be direct meetings also, one-on-one meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and these leaders,” senior party leader Nalin Kohli said.
“What is the intent of the Congress Party? Is diplomacy to be seen as a transaction, like the Congress Party is projecting? What have I done for you? What will you do for me? Kind of an approach. What is the so-called tangible result? I mean, if we talk of tangible results, we can question what the Congress party's entire approach from 1947 right up to 2014 was on diplomacy..The Congress party certainly raises questions about itself when it asks and points out the so-called tangible results and questions the BRICS summit in Delhi,” he added.
Also Read | BRICS Summit 2026: Full list of leaders attending PM Modi’s mega meet in New Delhi
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged the opposition camp is driven by a deep-seated "Fear Of Missing Out" (FOMO). "If you observe the Congress today, seeing that the BRICS Summit is taking place in India, they are opposing it just like that 'naaraz 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,” he said.
"Senior Congress leaders are beginning to realise that they may never see (Congress MP) 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,” he added.
Also Read | Trade, bridging gaps between Iran and UAE: Brics Summit to be a delicate balancing act for India
India is a founding member of BRICS and has previously held the chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The country assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1, coinciding with the grouping completing 20 years since its establishment.
The summit this weekend is expected to deliberate extensively on a number of pressing global challenges, including the economic consequences of the West Asia crisis.
