A political row erupted ahead of the 2026 BRICS Summit after Congress MP P Chidambaram questioned the tangible benefits India has gained from the grouping, prompting a sharp response from the BJP.
India, which holds the BRICS chair for 2026, will host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam from Friday evening through Sunday. The summit is being held under the theme “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Chidambaram questions BRICS gains
Speaking to news agency ANI on Wednesday, Chidambaram said he was unsure how many presidents and prime ministers would attend the summit and questioned whether recent BRICS meetings had delivered concrete outcomes for India.
He pointed out that India is part of several major multilateral groupings, including BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), G20 and QUAD.
“I don’t think the last two or three BRICS summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results,” Chidambaram said.
He added that while earlier BRICS summits had produced some tangible benefits, he had not seen similar outcomes from the last two or three meetings.
BJP hits back at Congress
The BJP criticised Chidambaram’s remarks, with senior party leader Nalin Kohli questioning the Congress’ approach to diplomacy.
Kohli said it was surprising that the Congress was questioning the BRICS Summit at a time when India is hosting the major international gathering, which is expected to bring several heads of state and government to New Delhi.
He also pointed to the bilateral meetings Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold with visiting leaders and asked whether diplomacy should be viewed purely in terms of immediate, measurable transactions.
Kohli accused the Congress of attempting to criticise the Modi government even when, according to him, there was no substantive basis for doing so.
He compared Chidambaram’s argument to asking whether the Congress itself should “shut down” if someone claimed to see no benefit from the party.
BJP spokesperson alleges ‘FOMO’
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also attacked the Congress, accusing the party of suffering from a “Fear Of Missing Out” over India’s hosting of the BRICS Summit.
Bhandari alleged that the Congress was opposing the event because it was being hosted by the Modi government.
He also made a political remark about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and claimed the party was unlikely to get a similar opportunity to host the BRICS Summit.
India’s BRICS presidency
India is a founding member of BRICS and has previously held the grouping’s chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
The country assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1, 2026, coinciding with the grouping completing 20 years since its establishment.
The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi is expected to focus on several pressing global challenges. Discussions are likely to include the economic consequences of the ongoing West Asia crisis, alongside broader issues concerning cooperation among member countries.
