At a virtual BRICS summit on 8 September 2025, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denounced escalating protectionist measures including “tariff blackmail” and called for tighter trade and financial integration among BRICS countries to counter unilateralism and safeguard global trade norms. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed this stance, warning against the linkage of trade policies with unrelated issues. Both leaders underscored the importance of multilateralism in maintaining a fair-trading system and enhancing resilience against external disruptions. The discussions, which involved partners from China, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, the UAE, and Ethiopia, focused on strengthening intra-BRICS coordination and solidarity to reinforce collective bargaining power and trade stability.
Relevant question for policy stakeholders: How can India leverage BRICS solidarity to protect its trade interests while advancing reforms in global trade governance through multilateral platforms?
Follow the full news here: https://brics.br/en/news/speaking-to-brics-leaders-lula-calls-for-unity-against-unilateralism
