Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has publicly supported the Brics summit as a significant diplomatic opportunity for India, diverging from party colleague P Chidambaram, who has expressed skepticism about the summit's tangible outcomes. Tharoor, speaking to PTI, emphasized the summit's role in providing a platform for the Global South, noting that the 11 Brics nations represent a majority of the world's population and 41% of global GDP. He described the summit as a demonstration of India's 'diplomatic convening power' and a matter of 'great prestige' for the country hosting the event.

Chidambaram, in contrast, questioned the value of recent Brics summits, stating that he did not see 'tangible benefits or tangible results' from the last two or three meetings. He criticized the lack of concrete outcomes from India's participation in multilateral groupings such as Brics, SCO, G20, and Quad. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the ruling BJP, which accused the Congress of undermining India's global standing by questioning the summit's significance.

Tharoor's defense of the summit came amid internal party tensions, with former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid urging Congress to view Chidambaram's comments as a caution rather than a criticism. Khurshid suggested that the party should take Chidambaram's remarks in the 'right spirit' to ensure a better outcome from the summit. Meanwhile, the BJP has accused the Congress of adopting a 'naaraz fufa' (resentful) attitude toward the event, with senior party leader Nalin Kohli likening the opposition's approach to a transactional model of diplomacy.

The 18th Brics Summit is set to take place in New Delhi on September 12-13, with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian among the key leaders attending. Putin has already arrived in New Delhi and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the summit. The event is expected to focus on global challenges, including the economic consequences of the West Asia crisis. However, the summit's ability to translate its diplomatic convening power into concrete outcomes remains uncertain.

The Brics grouping currently comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE. Together, these nations account for approximately 49.5% of the global population, 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade. India, as the current chair, aims to leverage its position to strengthen international cooperation. Despite the summit's scale and significance, the absence of clear outcomes from previous meetings has left questions about its effectiveness.

The summit's success will depend on its ability to address pressing global issues and deliver on its diplomatic potential. As the event approaches, the focus remains on whether New Delhi can transform its 'diplomatic convening power' into meaningful results for India and the global community.