How Would Russia's BRICS Presidency be Different From South Africa's?
Professor Swaran Singh, the Chair of Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD) at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), told Sputnik India that the BRICS agenda depended on the priorities of the current president, which is Russia.
"When it comes to Russia, it has been known as a major military power across the world. Russia's interest in security-related matters around the world, especially in countries viewed as friendly, would mean that BRICS would be far more conscious of security challenges around the world. It doesn’t mean that the Russian presidency would be ignoring the global economic challenges, which is the core mandate of the grouping," the Indian academic stated.
Singh said that he expected Russia to "conflate" the NATO expansion with the overarching debate on global security.
"Russia's concerns around expansion of NATO could figure prominently in BRICS meetings in the lead up to the Summit. So, Russia could focus more on global security issues," the professor asserted.
BRICS Influence in Middle-East
Singh noted that the Middle-East had become more vulnerable to tensions as the US had been gradually withdrawing from its role of being the "net security provider" in the region since the turn of the century.
"At the same time, regional powers like Iran have become more influential in recent years. It has also meant that countries closer to Russia, such as Syria, have become less vulnerable to American pressure," the geopolitical expert said, as he explained the emerging security dynamics in the region.
"What we are noticing is that Americans are not getting directly involved in the Gaza war. The American role is limited to supplying ammunitions to Israel and deploying its war vessels in the region," the professor said.
BRICS Presidency is an Opportunity for Russia
On the other hand, Ambassador Dr Bhaskar Balakrishnan, a former envoy to Greece and Cuba, told Sputnik India that Moscow's focus should be more on strengthening "intra-BRICS cooperation".
"There should be a freeze on further expansion of BRICS for the time being, until cooperation is consolidated within BRICS," the former Indian envoy offered.