India’s BRICS presidency, which began on January 1, 2026, is directly countering America First policies as New Delhi steers the bloc toward reduced U.S. dependence right now. The BRICS presidency India now leads is facing Trump tariffs that threaten 100% levies on member states, and at the same time, the Global South agenda emphasizes climate justice, debt relief, and development over Western priorities. BRICS trade discussions are being reshaped to address what officials describe as weaponized commerce.
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India’s BRICS Presidency Drives Global South Agenda Amid Trump Tariffs
Confronting Economic Protectionism
The Trump administration has identified BRICS as “an attack on the US dollar,” which marks unprecedented hostility toward the bloc. As India’s BRICS presidency unfolds, member states are exploring coordinated responses including increased BRICS trade through local currencies, reconfigured supply chains, and also lowered internal barriers to counter the Trump tariffs being imposed.
India’s approach to its BRICS presidency centers on “Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability,” and it carries forward priorities from its 2023 G20 leadership. The Global South agenda now includes climate justice, equitable energy transitions, and development-centered action rather than just emission targets alone.
Dr. Raj Kumar Sharma, Senior Fellow at NatStrat, had this to say:
“India will continue to make efforts for reform of institutions of global governance instead of rejecting them, as is the case with the current US leadership.”
Agenda Competition With Washington
The American G20 presidency in 2026 marginalizes the Global South agenda—climate change, inequality, and sustainability do not appear in the American agenda. This poses competition between the BRICS presidency preoccupation with development in India and the protectionist approach of Washington. BRICS trade negotiations now focus more on alternatives to Western dominated structures and the BRICS America First crash establishes the economic environment of 2026 at the present moment.
In 2023, BRICS extended to Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, as well as Indonesia, creating some doubts over its essence. In January 2026, the America First Policy Institute stated that 91 percent of its federal policies are already in place or are underway, and this is inclusive of aggressive tariff implementation as a diplomatic instrument.
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Strategic Leadership and Future Direction
In the case of the BRICS presidency of India, the task is to show that we can lead through equality and consensus and develop BRICS trade paradigms that will make us less vulnerable to Trump tariffs and BRICS America First unilateralism. The next few months will reveal whether New Delhi can juggle between its relationship with major powers and remain focused on the Global South agenda.