New Delhi, April 28: The Diplomatist, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), organised a day-long conference focused on India’s presidency of BRICS, bringing together academics, policy thinkers, and experts to deliberate on the grouping’s evolving role in global governance.

The sessions were chaired by Prof D K Giri, who steered discussions around five key questions shaping the future of BRICS.
He asked whether BRICS can emerge as an alternative to the Bretton Woods system of institutions, whether it can realistically achieve de-dollarisation of the global economy, and whether India can play a decisive role in strengthening the institutional framework of the bloc.
He also raised concerns over whether the consensus-based decision-making model is slowing down BRICS’ effectiveness and expansion.
Speakers engaged in wide-ranging discussions, noting that while BRICS has expanded its influence, structural challenges and differing national interests continue to limit its pace of transformation.
The idea of BRICS as a counterbalance to Western-led financial institutions drew mixed responses, with participants highlighting both its potential and its constraints.
Editor Brighter Kashmir Farooq Wani added a significant perspective, stressing the need to broaden BRICS’ scope of work to include confronting terrorism, which he described as one of the biggest threats to global peace and development.
He argued that security challenges, particularly terrorism affecting member states and beyond, must become part of the bloc’s collective agenda.
The speakers broadly agreed with this view, acknowledging that addressing terrorism and transnational security threats could strengthen BRICS’ relevance in an increasingly unstable global environment.
The conference concluded with a consensus that while BRICS holds considerable promise as a platform for Global South cooperation, its future effectiveness will depend on institutional reform, stronger political will, and an expanded focus on pressing global challenges.