India has long positioned itself as a key player in BRICS, leveraging its economic growth and strategic location to maintain a balance between global powers. However, under Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s foreign policy has taken a decisive turn towards the United States, gradually reducing its influence within BRICS. While the Indian government portrays this shift as a move towards global leadership, in reality, it is allowing India to become a secondary player in a Western-led order, sidelining the very alliances that could strengthen its independent global standing. This change raises concerns about whether the Modi administration is truly acting in India’s best interests or simply selling a narrative of strength while strategically aligning with Western interests at the cost of its own economic and geopolitical independence.
BRICS was initially formed as a coalition of emerging economies to challenge Western dominance in global finance and politics. With BRICS nations collectively accounting for 31.5% of the global GDP (PPP) in 2023, surpassing the 30.7% of the G7 nations, the bloc’s potential to reshape global economic systems is undeniable. India, as one of the fastest-growing economies with a projected growth rate of 6.3% in 2024, played a crucial role in the alliance. However, despite its strong presence in BRICS institutions such as the New Development Bank—where it has contributed to projects worth $33 billion—India is actively distancing itself from deeper engagement with the bloc. Instead of strengthening BRICS as a counterweight to Western hegemony, the Modi government is steering the country toward dependence on the U.S., misleading the public into believing that this shift is a mark of India’s rising global stature.
One of the clearest indications of India’s alignment with the U.S. is its increasing military cooperation. While Modi’s government still publicly maintains its long-standing defense ties with Russia, the reality is starkly different. India has signed numerous defense agreements with the U.S., including the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020, which allows the U.S. access to critical geospatial intelligence, effectively integrating India into the American security framework. Additionally, under Modi, India has become one of the largest importers of American military equipment, securing deals worth $3 billion in 2023 alone. Meanwhile, India’s defense imports from Russia, its historical supplier, have dropped by 37% over the past decade, signaling a clear shift. While Modi and his government tell Indians that they are pursuing an independent foreign policy, the truth is that India is increasingly operating as a junior partner in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Economic realignments also highlight how the Indian government is misleading its citizens. While BRICS is actively working towards de-dollarization, pushing for trade in local currencies to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, India has been hesitant to fully participate. Despite calls for increasing rupee-based trade within BRICS, the Modi government continues to settle most of its international trade in dollars. On the other hand, Russia now settles over 90% of its trade with China in yuan and rubles, actively moving away from Western-controlled financial systems. Instead of leveraging BRICS to break free from Western economic dominance, India is doubling down on its dependence on the U.S. In 2023, India’s bilateral trade with the U.S. reached $191 billion, surpassing its trade with China, which stood at $136 billion. This would not be alarming if India were benefiting from this relationship, but the reality is that it remains a secondary player, merely servicing Western economic interests while losing strategic leverage in BRICS.
Geopolitical maneuvers also reveal the deception in Modi’s foreign policy. India’s increased participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)—a strategic alliance with the U.S., Japan, and Australia—is a clear attempt to counter China, aligning India’s foreign policy more closely with Washington’s regional agenda. India’s naval exercises with the U.S. have increased by 40% since 2018, further cementing its role in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Meanwhile, Modi’s government has downplayed BRICS expansion, resisting moves that could strengthen the bloc’s influence. India’s reluctance to fully embrace new BRICS members, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, highlights its unwillingness to deepen ties with economies that challenge the U.S.-led order. Instead of using BRICS to assert India’s leadership in the Global South, Modi is carefully ensuring that India remains within the U.S.’s strategic orbit, all while promoting the illusion of a robust and independent foreign policy to the Indian public.
Despite these clear shifts, the Modi administration continues to push the narrative that India is becoming a global superpower. In reality, India is simply positioning itself as a reliable U.S. ally, losing its leverage within BRICS while pretending to lead the charge for a multipolar world. The Indian government actively sells this realignment as a success, using propaganda to convince citizens that closer ties with the U.S. will elevate India’s global position. The reality, however, is that India is losing its independent voice in global affairs, allowing the U.S. to dictate terms in critical areas of trade, security, and diplomacy.
If Modi’s government truly had India’s best interests at heart, it would be using BRICS to carve out a strong, independent role in the international system. Instead, it is prioritizing Western alliances at the cost of BRICS, deceiving Indians into believing that this shift is a sign of progress. While the Indian media, largely under government influence, continues to celebrate Modi’s foreign policy, the facts tell a different story: India is slowly surrendering its stature in BRICS, not as a matter of strategic necessity, but as part of a calculated effort to integrate itself into the U.S.-led world order. The question remains whether the Indian people will recognize this deception before it’s too late.
