The Illusion of the BRICS as a «Bric-À-Brac»: Why the West Is Wrong to Underestimate the Resilience of BRICS+

Key Takeaways

• BRICS+ now includes eleven members, ten partners, increasing heterogeneity.
• India leads BRICS presidency amid Middle East conflict and sanctions.
• New Development Bank funds infrastructure beyond core BRICS members.
• BRICS Grain Exchange aims for food security using local currencies.
• Green energy investments in BRICS outpace fossil fuel spending.

Summary

The article argues that Western portrayals of the BRICS+ as a disjointed "bric-à-brac" underestimate its growing resilience, especially as India assumes the 2026 presidency amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Despite criticism over heterogeneity, the bloc is expanding its economic infrastructure through the New Development Bank, a dedicated grain exchange, and record green‑energy investments. These initiatives aim to reduce reliance on Western financial systems and fossil‑fuel imports, positioning the BRICS+ as a pragmatic platform for the Global South. The piece concludes that the grouping is quietly shaping a more multipolar world order.

Pulse Analysis

Western analysts have long dismissed the BRICS+ as a loose collection of mid‑size economies, but the bloc’s recent actions suggest a different trajectory. India’s 2026 presidency arrives at a moment of heightened geopolitical strain—U.S. sanctions, Middle‑East conflicts, and supply‑chain disruptions—yet the group has maintained cohesion through pragmatic coordination rather than formal institutional ties. This adaptability signals that the BRICS+ can operate effectively even when major leaders, such as China’s president, are absent from summit venues.

Economic self‑reliance is at the core of the BRICS+ strategy. The New Development Bank continues to finance large‑scale projects, including India’s regional rapid‑transit rail, while extending credit to non‑member nations, thereby expanding its influence beyond the core circle. Simultaneously, the newly launched BRICS Grain Exchange seeks to price agricultural commodities in local currencies, reducing exposure to dollar‑denominated markets and shielding member economies from external speculation. Parallel investments in renewable energy have already eclipsed fossil‑fuel spending, reflecting a deliberate pivot toward sustainability that also enhances energy security and job creation across the bloc.

These developments carry strategic implications for global markets. As the BRICS+ builds alternative financial and trade infrastructures, multinational firms may need to reassess risk models that previously prioritized Western‑centric systems. Moreover, the bloc’s growing capacity to bypass traditional sanctions regimes could reshape the geopolitical calculus for both emerging and developed economies. In a world increasingly defined by multipolar competition, the BRICS+ is positioning itself not as a house of cards but as a durable platform for collective economic resilience.