тАЬрдмреНрд░рд┐рдХреНрд╕ (BRICS) рд╡реИрд╢реНрд╡рд┐рдХ рд╢рд╛рд╕рди рдореЗрдВ рдПрдХ рд╢рдХреНрддрд┐рд╢рд╛рд▓реА рд╕рдВрддреБрд▓рдирдХрд╛рд░реА рд╢рдХреНрддрд┐ рдХреЗ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рдХрд╛рд░реНрдп рдХрд░рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рдЬреЛ рд╡реИрд╢реНрд╡рд┐рдХ рджрдХреНрд╖рд┐рдг рдХреА рдЖрд╡рд╛рдЬрд╝ рдФрд░ рдкреНрд░рднрд╛рд╡ рдХреЛ рд╕рдХреНрд░рд┐рдп рд░реВрдк рд╕реЗ рдкреНрд░рдмрд▓ рдмрдирд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ редтАЭ рдмреНрд░рд┐рдХреНрд╕ (BRICS) рдХреА рднреВрдорд┐рдХрд╛ рдХреЛ рд╕рдордЭрд╛рдЗрдП рдХрд┐ рд╡рд╣ рд╕реНрд╡рдпрдВ рдХреЛ рдЕрдиреНрдп рд╕рдореВрд╣реЛрдВ рдХреЗ рд╡рд┐рдХрд▓реНрдк рдХреЗ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рдХреИрд╕реЗ рдкреНрд░рд╕реНрддреБрдд рдХрд░рддрд╛ рд╣реИ ?
Read this question in English
тАЬBRICS acts as a powerful counterweight in global governance, actively amplifying the voice and influence of the Global South.тАЭ Explain the role of BRICS in projecting itself as an alternative to other groupings.
ЁЯзн How to think about this question ┬╖ directive: тАЬexplainтАЭ
Decode the demand
- Directive 'explain': show how and why, with evidence; the quotation is a claim, so you must show how BRICS earns the words 'counterweight' and 'voice of the Global South'.
- The issue in one line: a grouping born in 2009 as four economies now has 11 members, its own bank and a reform agenda aimed at Western-led institutions.
- Three things to answer: how it acts as a counterweight and amplifies the South; how it projects itself as an alternative to groupings like the G7; how far the projection holds.
- The trap: listing summits and members. The examiner wants the features that make it 'alternative': no hegemon, own institutions, reform agenda, plus the honest limits.
Think in a structure
- Open with the growth from four to eleven and India's 2026 chair, then name the three legs of the counterweight claim.
- One heading per demand part: counterweight and voice; projection as an alternative (a G7 vs BRICS table does the work); limits in one short block.
- End from India's chair: concrete measures the 2026 presidency can deliver, then a constitutional anchor (Article 51) so the conclusion is India's, not a slogan.
Facts checked at source (5)┬╖ open
- PIB's New India Samachar (February 2026): BRICS brings together 11 major emerging economies.BRICS 2026 under India's Chairmanship - New India Samachar (PIB), 1-15 February 2026, p. 9 тЖЧтАЬbrings together 11 major emerging economiesтАЭ
- The newly included BRICS members are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Indonesia.BRICS 2026 under India's Chairmanship - New India Samachar (PIB), 1-15 February 2026, p. 9 тЖЧтАЬThe newly included countries are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and Indonesia.тАЭ
- India chairs BRICS in 2026.BRICS 2026 under India's Chairmanship - New India Samachar (PIB), 1-15 February 2026, p. 9 тЖЧтАЬIndia is set to chair the BRICS summit in 2026.тАЭ
- India approaches its 2026 BRICS chairship with a 'humanity first' and 'people-centric' approach.BRICS 2026 under India's Chairmanship - New India Samachar (PIB), 1-15 February 2026, p. 9 тЖЧтАЬPromoting DPI, fintech, AI, and тАШhumanity firstтАЩ and тАШpeople-centricтАЩ approachтАЭ
- The New Development Bank was established in 2015 by the BRICS countries to fund infrastructure and sustainable development in BRICS and other emerging economies.About NDB - New Development Bank тЖЧтАЬEstablished in 2015 by BRICS countries, the New Development Bank is a multilateral development bank aimed at mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other EMDCsтАЭ
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2026, GS Paper II тАФ paper тЖЧ. Guidance: Minimalist IAS, checked 8 Nov 2026 (how we verify). ┬╖
Model answer┬╖ 421words ┬╖ Minimalist IAS
From four economies at Yekaterinburg (2009), BRICS now 'brings together 11 major emerging economies', and India chairs it in 2026. Its counterweight claim rests on three legs: a reform voice, its own institutions and a model of grouping unlike the West's clubs.
- 2009: Yekaterinburg, first summit
- 2010: South Africa joins
- 2014: CRA agreed
- 2015: NDB opens
- 2026: 11 members, India chairs
Counterweight that amplifies the Global South
- Reform voice: presses for larger IMF and World Bank quotas and UN Security Council reform, where developing countries remain under-represented.
- Own institutions: the New Development Bank (2015) funds infrastructure and sustainable development; the CRA offers liquidity without Bretton Woods conditionality.
- Wider membership: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Indonesia now sit at the table, with a partner-country tier behind them.
- Southern agenda: local-currency settlement, food and energy security and climate justice, issues the G7 rarely puts first.
The full answer goes on to cover
- Projecting itself as an alternative to other groupings
- How far the projection succeeds
- What India's 2026 chairship can do
With 1 table you can reproduce in the exam.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) ┬╖ facts checked against official sources (how we verify) ┬╖ updated 8 Nov 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.







