Score:
9.5/15
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Topper’s Copy
GS2
International Relations
15 marks
What is BRICS? Discuss its significance for India and the major challenges it faces.
Student’s Answer
Evaluation by SuperKalam
Demand of the Question
- Definition/concept of BRICS
- Significance for India
- Major challenges faced by BRICS
What you wrote:
BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping of emerging economies—originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia.
BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping of emerging economies—originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could enhance by adding the founding year (established in 2009) and briefly mentioning BRICS' core objective of creating a multipolar world order to provide stronger conceptual grounding.
What you wrote:
Significance for India
1. Strategic Autonomy: Provides an alternative to Western-led Institutions to India and enables a balanced foreign policy.
2. Voice of the Global South: Helps India advocate reforms in the UNSC, IMF and World Bank.
3. Economic Opportunities: Promotes trade, investment, energy cooperation and access to expanding emerging markets.
4. Financial Alternatives: The NDB supports infra and sustainable-development projects; the Contingent Reserve Arrangement offers financial stability.
5. De-dollarisation debate: Encourages use of local currencies and reduces vulnerabilities to sanctions and exchange-rate volatilities.
6. Diplomatic Leverage: Enables India to simultaneously engage with Russia, China, West Asia and the wider developing world.
7. Anti-terrorism and technology: Facilitates cooperation against terrorism, cybercrime, climate change and health emergencies.
Significance for India
1. Strategic Autonomy: Provides an alternative to Western-led Institutions to India and enables a balanced foreign policy.
2. Voice of the Global South: Helps India advocate reforms in the UNSC, IMF and World Bank.
3. Economic Opportunities: Promotes trade, investment, energy cooperation and access to expanding emerging markets.
4. Financial Alternatives: The NDB supports infra and sustainable-development projects; the Contingent Reserve Arrangement offers financial stability.
5. De-dollarisation debate: Encourages use of local currencies and reduces vulnerabilities to sanctions and exchange-rate volatilities.
6. Diplomatic Leverage: Enables India to simultaneously engage with Russia, China, West Asia and the wider developing world.
7. Anti-terrorism and technology: Facilitates cooperation against terrorism, cybercrime, climate change and health emergencies.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could add specific examples like India's $4.5 billion borrowing from NDB for renewable energy projects
- Can mention India's BRICS chairship in 2021 leading to counter-terrorism action plan adoption
- Could highlight intra-BRICS trade growth from $27 billion in 2006 to over $500 billion demonstrating economic significance
- Can reference India's use of rupee-rouble trade mechanism with Russia as practical de-dollarisation example
What you wrote:
Major Challenges:
1. India-China Tensions: Border disputes and strategic competition weaken consensus.
2. Divergent Interests: Members differ in political systems, economic priorities and foreign-policy outlooks.
3. Expansion-related complexity: Larger membership may dilute cohesion and decision-making efficiency.
4. Economic Asymmetry: China's overwhelming economic weight creates concerns regarding dependence and trade imbalances.
5. Limited Institutionalisation: Absence of binding commitments and a permanent secretariat restricts implementation.
6. Geopolitical polarisation: Russia-led sanctions and Anti-Western perception may reduce global acceptability.
7. Rhetoric-delivery gap: De-dollarisation and alternative payment mechanisms remain largely aspirational.
Major Challenges:
1. India-China Tensions: Border disputes and strategic competition weaken consensus.
2. Divergent Interests: Members differ in political systems, economic priorities and foreign-policy outlooks.
3. Expansion-related complexity: Larger membership may dilute cohesion and decision-making efficiency.
4. Economic Asymmetry: China's overwhelming economic weight creates concerns regarding dependence and trade imbalances.
5. Limited Institutionalisation: Absence of binding commitments and a permanent secretariat restricts implementation.
6. Geopolitical polarisation: Russia-led sanctions and Anti-Western perception may reduce global acceptability.
7. Rhetoric-delivery gap: De-dollarisation and alternative payment mechanisms remain largely aspirational.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could cite specific examples like Galwan clash impact on BRICS cooperation or China's Belt and Road Initiative creating concerns among other members
- Can mention Iran's inclusion complicating relations with Western partners due to sanctions
- Could reference different stances on Ukraine conflict showing divergent foreign policy approaches
- Can highlight trade deficit with China ($87 billion) as concrete example of economic asymmetry challenge
What you wrote:
Thus, BRICS is valuable for India's multipolarity and Global South leadership, but its future relevance depends on pragmatic cooperation, institutional reform and management of internal rivalries.
Thus, BRICS is valuable for India's multipolarity and Global South leadership, but its future relevance depends on pragmatic cooperation, institutional reform and management of internal rivalries.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could strengthen by referencing India's G20 presidency success as a model for how India can leverage multilateral platforms, and mention specific institutional reforms needed like establishing a permanent secretariat.
The answer demonstrates good structural organization and comprehensive coverage of all question demands. However, it needs more specific examples, data points, and recent developments to transform general observations into substantive analysis that reflects deeper understanding of BRICS dynamics.
Demand of the Question
- Definition/concept of BRICS
- Significance for India
- Major challenges faced by BRICS
What you wrote:
BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping of emerging economies—originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia.
BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping of emerging economies—originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could enhance by adding the founding year (established in 2009) and briefly mentioning BRICS' core objective of creating a multipolar world order to provide stronger conceptual grounding.
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