Context

During the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi (September 2026), the Indian Prime Minister urged BRICS leaders to formulate 10 global governance reform proposals, to be developed into a comprehensive BRICS Reform Roadmap by the next summit in 2027. Concurrently, the UN Secretary-General observed that "distorted power relations in the world make the Security Council non-operational," underscoring the democratic deficit in multilateral institutions.

The expanded 11-member BRICS grouping represents ~40% of global GDP and nearly half the world's population, and 2026 marks BRICS' 20th anniversary.

Key Highlights of India's Proposed BRICS Reform Roadmap

From "Rule-Takers to Rule-Shapers"

  • India called for dismantling the current global governance structure — described as a "pyramid of privilege" — and transforming it into a "platform of partnership."
  • The Global South faces the brunt of global crises yet remains excluded from key decision-making.
  • India stressed BRICS would pursue reforms through dialogue, consensus and cooperation, not as a counter-bloc against any country.

The Three Pillars (The 3Rs)

  1. Representation
  • UNSC reform can no longer be delayed; text-based negotiations for expansion must be linked to a definite timeline and clear outcomes.
  • Voting power and leadership roles in Bretton Woods institutions (IMF, World Bank) must reflect contemporary economic realities, giving proportional influence to emerging growth engines.
  1. Responsiveness
  • Global institutions must improve the speed, scale and last-mile impact of crisis responses.
  • India proposed a Seafarers' Emergency Support Network to connect maritime authorities and missions for rapid distress alerts, medical aid and evacuation of maritime workers.
  1. Rule-Making in Emerging Technologies
  • Equal participation in framing global regulations for AI, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology and critical minerals.
  • BRICS aims to equip young diplomats from the Global South with legal, practical and negotiation expertise to shape future rules.

Continuity and Implementation Mechanism

  • To prevent momentum loss from annual Presidency rotations, India proposed a formal mechanism using the BRICS Troika (current, previous and incoming chairs) and a secure digital repository to track initiatives, deadlines and implementation status.

Significance

  • Empowering the Global South: Leverages the expanded BRICS as a collective counterweight to Western-dominated forums like the G7, translating demographic and economic weight into policy impact.
  • Future-Proofing Governance: Extends reform beyond traditional bodies (UN) to frontier technologies, ensuring developing nations are not locked out of 21st-century regulatory frameworks.
  • From Critique to Constructive Action: Marks BRICS' "coming of age" — shifting from critiquing Western institutional architecture to offering structured, alternative frameworks for equitable governance.

Impediments to Global Governance Institutions

  • Outdated UNSC representation: Reflects post-WWII realities; Africa and Latin America have zero permanent representation. The G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) advocate permanent seats; the Sirte Declaration and Ezulwini Consensus articulate Africa's demand for two permanent seats.
  • Conventions in global finance: Unwritten agreements reserve the World Bank Presidency for an American and IMF leadership for a European; quota formulas understate emerging economies' weight.
  • Veto power constraints: Frequent use of vetoes by the P5 to shield allies (e.g., Russia on Ukraine, US on Gaza) has paralyzed the UNSC.
  • Selective application of norms: Unequal enforcement of frameworks like the NPT based on geopolitical alliances erodes trust.
  • Over-reliance on earmarked funding: Over 80% of the WHO's budget relies on conditional, voluntary contributions, skewing priorities toward donors.
  • WTO dispute mechanism paralysis: The US has blocked Appellate Body appointments since 2019, allowing rule violations without enforcement.
  • Unilateral trade and environmental measures: The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) disproportionately burden developing economies.
  • Instrumentalization of financial systems: Weaponization of SWIFT expulsions and freezing of central bank reserves accelerates de-dollarization efforts among BRICS nations.
  • Minilateralism and fragmented tech governance: Exclusive Western coalitions like the G7 Hiroshima AI Process monopolize rule-making for emerging domains.
  • Differing regional perspectives: The "Uniting for Consensus" (Coffee Club) opposes new permanent UNSC seats to block regional rivals (e.g., Pakistan opposing India's bid).
  • Policy volatility and multilateral disengagement: US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement disrupts climate finance via the Green Climate Fund and Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), weakening NDC adherence.
  • Funding boycotts: US and Israeli withdrawals from UNESCO have weakened its operations in education, science and culture.

Way Forward

  • Text-based negotiations: The UNGA must move beyond open-ended debates in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) framework to time-bound, text-based negotiations for UNSC expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories.
  • Democratizing financial architecture: Expedite IMF/World Bank quota realignments; adopt transparent, merit-based leadership appointments.
  • Restoring the multilateral trade order: Break the deadlock on Appellate Body appointments; safeguard Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) provisions.
  • Unified Global South consensus: Build bridges through BRICS, the African Union and the G20 for a cohesive front on reforms, climate justice and equitable trade.
  • Proactive norm-setting in frontier technologies: Operationalize BRICS tech-diplomacy to co-create UN-backed regulatory frameworks for AI, outer space and critical minerals.

Conclusion

The BRICS Reform Roadmap seeks to make global governance more representative, inclusive and equitable, enabling the Global South to move from "rule-takers" to "rule-shapers" and transform the existing "pyramid of privilege" into a "platform of partnership."

Previous Year Questions (UPSC)

Prelims (2022): On the UN Credentials Committee — Answer: (a) 3 only.

Mains (2025): "The reform process in the United Nations remains unresolved because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance. Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard."

Drishti Mains Question: "Representation without responsiveness cannot ensure legitimacy of global institutions." Discuss in the context of India's proposed 3Rs framework.