In 2026, two opportunities for India to prove critics wrong, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• In 2026, India assumes chairmanship of both International IDEA and BRICS.
• Gyanesh Kumar, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, accepted the chairmanship of International IDEA in Stockholm on December 3, 2025.
• Sudhakar Dalela, India’s BRICS sherpa, received the BRICS chairmanship in Brasilia on December 11-12, 2025.
• India, a founder member of BRICS, previously held the chair in 2012, 2016, and 2021.

Detailed Insights:

• International IDEA, a 35-member intergovernmental institution, promotes sustainable democratic culture and India has been a member since 1995.
• India has faced criticism from international bodies like V-Dem, Freedom House, and The Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index regarding its democratic credentials.
• The Indian government has rejected these reports as politically motivated propaganda and aims to showcase its strong democratic credentials during its chairmanship.
• BRICS has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the UAE, with about 35 more countries seeking entry, and faces the risk of becoming an unwieldy group.
• India needs to use its BRICS chairmanship to steady the body, promote a coherent narrative based on pluralism and offer a new vision for the global order.

Key Concepts Involved:

• International IDEA: An intergovernmental organization that works to support and strengthen democracy worldwide.
• BRICS: An acronym for the group of leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Global South: Refers to countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America that often share a history of colonialism and similar socioeconomic challenges.