Foreign Minister Wang Yi made it very clear at the BRICS meeting that compromise would only embolden the United States to take more, and India, which was absent, did not take this to heart. Instead, it was preparing to stab China in the back.

BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Recently, the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Brazil. At the meeting, Foreign Minister Wang Yi clearly stated that the BRICS countries should jointly resist America's economic hegemony. However, Reuters reported that the BRICS foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus on the joint communiqué this time, though the reasons remain unclear.

In the eyes of foreign media, this indicates that although the BRICS countries have the ability to counterbalance the U.S., they also have significant internal contradictions and differences. It is worth noting that the Indian Foreign Minister did not attend the meeting in Brazil. This is not the first time; India has repeatedly skipped BRICS meetings, causing dissatisfaction within the group.

This time, under the pressure of Trump's tariffs, India once again chose to retreat. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Beston revealed the true nature of India. Beston stated that among the countries negotiating trade with the U.S., India is most likely to reach an agreement with the U.S. first. India's move not only betrays BRICS but also stabs China in the back.

Vice President Pence meets Modi

It is worth noting that shortly before the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, U.S. Vice President Pence visited India, where he received a grand welcome ceremony. It is understood that one of the agreements close to being reached between the U.S. and India includes an "agreement on future most-favored-nation treatment," in which India promises that if lower tariffs are agreed upon with other countries in the future, the U.S. will automatically enjoy the same treatment.

Sources revealed that India showed great enthusiasm during the negotiations. Out of thousands of tariff items, India promised that 90% could be immediately reduced, while the rest would be gradually lowered. In return, the U.S. should provide India with more tariff preferences in textile and pharmaceutical sectors.

Indian officials admitted that they hope to fill the gap left by Chinese goods under tariff pressure and become a more reliable supplier for the U.S. In other words, while China calls on everyone in BRICS to unite against common enemies, India is thinking about how to profit from the situation and sit on the fence as a bystander.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi

The absence of the foreign minister from the meeting can be seen as India further distancing itself from BRICS. India has long opposed BRICS expansion and is concerned about the strengthening of China's dominance. Added to this, India has had close cooperation with the U.S. and Western countries for a long time, so its stance in the current situation between China and the U.S. is predictable.

India’s goal now is to fill the export gap left by Chinese goods under tariff pressure and replace China as the global manufacturing hub. However, don’t blame China for not warning you; excessive compromise with the U.S. will only put India in a more disadvantageous position. Although India's compromise with the U.S. may boost exports in the short term, it could lead to long-term dependence and trap India in low-end subcontracting pitfalls.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Beston

In addition, India's passive performance in mechanisms like BRICS and the SCO weakens its appeal as a "leader of the Global South." If India continues to distance itself from multilateral platforms, it may be marginalized by emerging economies, especially losing its voice on issues such as climate change and energy transition.

Moreover, the Sino-American tariff war will eventually return to the negotiation table. When the relationship between China and the U.S. eases, India's strategic value to the U.S. will significantly decrease. By then, not only will India have offended China, but it will also indirectly isolate itself from the BRICS countries. For India's strategy to succeed, there are two prerequisites: first, the Sino-American rivalry remains "in conflict but not broken"; second, India can precisely control the balance point.

However, if India overestimates its own leverage, it may become a pawn in great power games. Modi should think twice.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7498989783432053267/

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