BRICS taking steps

As one of the leading alliances of the Global South, the BRICS is undertaking certain initiatives that might influence global power balances.

The Brazilian President Lula da Silva convened BRICS leaders to a virtual meeting of heads of state. The meeting will be held on September 8. The meeting’s main topic are the tariffs imposed by US president Trump on two of the group’s members, Brazil and India.

Months ago, Trump had also threatened to impose additional tariffs on BRICS countries for their efforts to reduce dependence on the dollar by expanding trade in local currencies.

China and Brazil strengthen coordination in BRICS

Leaders are expected to examine the issue in depth and develop a joint response from the group to the trade war unleashed by the United States. In addition, a reform of the World Trade Organization will be discussed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. These details of the meeting were also confirmed by Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal during a press conference held Friday in New Delhi.

According to Brazilian government sources, Lula also seeks to mobilize the leaders of the major emerging economies in support of multilateralism.

In early August, President Lula announced that he planned to call the leaders of the BRICS countries, starting with India and China, to discuss the possibility of a joint response to US tariffs.

He added that he did not intend to hold direct talks with Donald Trump, although the Brazilian Foreign Ministry sought relentlessly to initiate a dialogue on the issue with the White House, which blocked it. Previously, Lula assured that Brazil would not give up on the idea of creating an alternative currency to the dollar, an idea repeatedly raised by the group’s leaders to promote economic and trade relations in a climate of sovereignty and without being held hostage to unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US and satellite nations using the dollar as a weapon of war.

Brazil and India face high tariffs imposed by Washington. Various Brazilian exports to the US, including coffee, were subject to 50 percent tariffs, in a move that coincides with intense pressure from Trump against the Brazilian government and judicial system over the trial of former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro for his alleged involvement in coup attempts to prevent Lula’s inauguration.

At the same time, the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian imports under the pretext that the Asian power buys Russian oil. India has denounced the tariffs as “unfair and unreasonable,” stating that it will continue to purchase Russian oil and questioning Washington’s double standards, given that it purchases numerous Russian products.

But India will be represented in the Brics leaders’ virtual summit at the level of foreign minister, the country’s foreign ministry stated in a declaration.

BRICS joint naval exercise

On the other side, and rather unusual for the mostly economy centered alliance, BRICS countries are holding joint naval exercises in South Africa. Participating countries are Russia, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran, the maneuvers are titled the “Will of Peace”.

These exercises represent an opportunity to exchange experiences, develop operational capabilities, and demonstrate strategic coordination between major powers such as Russia, China, and Iran, along with emerging countries such as South Africa and Indonesia.

The exercise started on Saturday with the aim of strengthening military cooperation between the navies of the group’s members.

The exercise reflects the interest of the BRICS countries in strengthening their naval presence in international oceans, ensuring the security of maritime shipping routes, and demonstrating their ability to act jointly in the face of regional and international challenges.

The commander of the Iranian Navy’s First Naval District, Captain Hassan Maghsoodloo, who is participating in the maneuver, told his country’s media: “Given the economic relations and relations between the member countries of the BRICS summit, the combined maritime exercise ‘Will of Peace’ will be carried out with the participation of combat units from member countries, with South Africa as the host.”

Both steps, the virtual summit and naval exercises, are possible steps in a general tendency that still needs to produce concrete results. Besides, these need to convince Washington to respect the alliance. Given the US president’s unilateral stance, BRICS country may be forced to take the steps further than they had planned for.

Cover graphic: South China Morning Post