BRICS: FALLING APART

Hosting international summits inevitably offers a country the opportunity (if managed well) to lead the agenda and provide leadership to the meeting; enhance the role of the institution in serving its members and providing global public goods; and, in doing so also advance its own national, regional and global interests and standing. While India might have sought to achieve these objectives in hosting the 8th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Goa, the results are at best mixed and disappointing at worst.