India’s role as host of the 18th BRICS Summit is highlighting the country’s growing economic weight and emerging strategic capabilities on the global stage, industry leaders said as the BRICS Business Forum got underway in New Delhi.
The business community’s assessment comes at a time when India is seeking to use its 2026 BRICS chairship to push practical cooperation in trade, technology, innovation, supply chains and financial connectivity.
The expanded BRICS grouping now represents a significant share of the global population and economy, giving India’s leadership of the bloc added diplomatic and economic significance.
India’s Economic Profile Comes Into Focus
Industry representatives said the BRICS platform provides an opportunity to showcase India’s expanding economic capabilities and its growing importance as a market, manufacturing base and technology hub.
India has increasingly positioned itself as an economy capable of attracting investment while developing domestic capabilities in areas ranging from digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing to pharmaceuticals, space and defence production.
For Indian businesses, the BRICS platform also creates an opportunity to build commercial relationships with other emerging economies.
Strategic Capabilities Add a New Dimension
The discussion is no longer limited to India's economic growth.
Industry leaders also pointed to the country's emerging strategic capabilities, including developments in technology, manufacturing and critical infrastructure.
India's emphasis on self-reliance has increasingly focused on building domestic capacity while remaining connected to international markets. At the BRICS Business Forum, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar similarly stressed resilient supply chains, predictable business conditions and diversified trade relationships.
The combination of economic scale and strategic capability is strengthening India's ability to participate in global decision-making.
BRICS Offers a Larger Market for Indian Businesses
For industry, one of the biggest opportunities from BRICS is access to a broader network of emerging markets.
The grouping's expansion has brought together economies with different strengths in energy, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, services and natural resources.
Greater connectivity between these markets could create opportunities for Indian exporters and companies seeking overseas partnerships.
However, industry leaders also recognise that the size of the grouping alone does not guarantee greater trade. Regulatory differences, logistics costs, payment mechanisms and market-access barriers remain challenges.
Technology and Innovation Gain Importance
Technology is another area where India is seeking a larger role.
Digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, startups and innovation are emerging as important areas of BRICS cooperation. India has highlighted its experience in digital payments and technology-enabled public services as potential areas for knowledge-sharing with other developing economies.
The wider BRICS agenda is also examining ways to strengthen startup cooperation and innovation networks.
For Indian industry, this could open opportunities for technology partnerships, investment and access to new markets.
Supply Chains and Financial Connectivity
Resilient supply chains have become increasingly important as geopolitical tensions and disruptions expose vulnerabilities in global trade.
India has advocated greater cooperation among BRICS economies to diversify supply networks and improve their ability to withstand external shocks.
Financial connectivity is another major component of the discussion. India has pushed for stronger links between payment systems and greater use of local currencies in trade, although practical implementation across countries with different financial systems remains complex.
India’s BRICS Presidency Faces a Delivery Test
The economic optimism surrounding the forum also comes with a challenge: turning India's growing influence into measurable outcomes.
BRICS has expanded considerably, but its members have different economic structures and geopolitical priorities. Analysts have noted that internal divisions could make it difficult for the bloc to act as a fully integrated economic grouping.
That makes practical initiatives on trade, technology, payments and investment particularly important.
A Bigger Global Role for India
The BRICS presidency gives India a high-profile platform to demonstrate its economic and diplomatic capabilities.
Industry leaders' assessment reflects the broader perception that India's role in the global economy is expanding beyond being a large consumer market. Its influence increasingly rests on its manufacturing ambitions, digital capabilities, strategic industries and ability to engage simultaneously with different international groupings.
The real measure of the BRICS forum, however, will be whether these advantages translate into stronger trade, investment, technology partnerships and concrete cooperation.
For India, the New Delhi summit is therefore not only a diplomatic event but also an opportunity to demonstrate that its growing global stature can produce practical economic outcomes.
