--- title: Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America description: BRICS is unlikely to become an anti-American or anti-Western power bloc anytime soon, and its clout is already limited by the rivalry between China and India. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/ author: Ian Bremmer article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-09-11T14:30:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-09-11T13:30:10.164Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America og:description: "BRICS is unlikely to become an anti-American or anti-Western power bloc anytime soon, and its clout is already limited by the rivalry between China and India," writes Ian Bremmer. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf81d62151f9cfd80/6aa400b61960411ccff4b47b/GettyImages-2294082834.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2294082834.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America twitter:description: "BRICS is unlikely to become an anti-American or anti-Western power bloc anytime soon, and its clout is already limited by the rivalry between China and India," writes Ian Bremmer. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf81d62151f9cfd80/6aa400b61960411ccff4b47b/GettyImages-2294082834.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfa9f93e-0437-4760-b9e9-bcb83f3302a3&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 430,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 50.7% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfa9f93e-0437-4760-b9e9-bcb83f3302a3&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=bfa9f93e-0437-4760-b9e9-bcb83f3302a3&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. It reaches 430,000 subscribers with a 50.7% open rate as of August 2026. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent.  by [Ian Bremmer](https://time.com/author/ian-bremmer/)  ## Ian Bremmer Sep 11, 2026 2:30 PM UTC  A journalist reports from the venue of the upcoming BRICS Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 11, 2026. A journalist reports from the venue of the upcoming BRICS Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 11, 2026. Arun SANKAR-AFP via Getty Images  by [Ian Bremmer](https://time.com/author/ian-bremmer/)  ## Ian Bremmer Sep 11, 2026 2:30 PM UTC When the leaders of BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies, gather in New Delhi on Saturday for [their 18th summit](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-hosts-brics-summit-iran-war-tests-bloc-unity-2026-09-10/), they will have plenty to talk about. The group began with Brazil, Russia, India and China, then added South Africa in 2010\. It has since [expanded](https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/03/brics-expansion-and-the-future-of-world-order-perspectives-from-member-states-partners-and-aspirants) to include 11 countries. The leaders and diplomats of BRICS member states are meeting in New Delhi to consider how their combined political and economic muscle might be used to build an alternative to the American-led global order. In some ways, President Donald Trump’s refusal to allow America play its traditional postwar leadership role has created new opportunities for the bloc. Yet its ambitions remain constrained by an inconvenient fact: India, China, Russia and Brazil do not align particularly well. Here are the dynamics to watch this weekend. India, the host, wants the summit to accomplish as much as possible without antagonizing the United States. India continues to value the stability of [its relationship with Washington](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/india/india-sticking-america-now), particularly as a counterbalance to China’s expanding influence in Asia and beyond. India, along with Brazil, has also resisted Russian and Chinese calls for [a common BRICS currency](https://www.firstpost.com/business/brics-2026-common-currency-reduce-reliance-us-dollar-14042442.html) and new lending to sanctions-hit Russia. For its part, China is seeking to extend its global influence. For President Xi Jinping, this summit is another stage in an international roadshow that has included a leading role at this year’s [Shanghai Cooperation Organization](https://apnews.com/article/shanghai-cooperation-organization-russia-china-india-cf543dfad0a20097ed4c2b415a26e8b4) gathering in Kyrgyzstan, a [visit to Egypt](https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2026/09/xi-egypt-visit-key-takeaways-china) to help mediate the ongoing war in the Middle East and, later this month, [a state visit](https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/exclusive-chinas-xi-bring-large-ceo-delegation-us-visit-sources-say-2026-09-04/) to the White House. In Delhi, Xi hopes to present China as a stable, predictable alternative to American influence. He will also seek to erode the dollar’s continuing dominance as [the world’s principal reserve currency](https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/dollar-worlds-reserve-currency) by promoting more channels for nondollar lending, the wider use of the renminbi to settle trade, and progress toward linking digital payment systems, an effort India has long resisted. Given the sometimes [violent border clashes](https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/12/negotiating-the-india-china-standoff-2020-2024) between China and India in recent years, observers will also be watching Xi’s and Modi’s body language closely. Despite their differences on key agenda items, they are likely to be all smiles. Neither has an interest in airing grievances. India, as host, wants a smooth show. China, which will host next year’s summit, also wants a positive atmosphere. And Xi’s overriding goal is to present his country as a mature and constructive global leader. Russia, of course, wants whatever diplomatic, political, and economic support it can get for its [stalemated war](https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine) with Ukraine. Brazil, meanwhile, hopes to forge new economic linkages and reaffirm its commitment to being a full BRICS partner, even as some fear that [a Flavio Bolsonaro victory](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/poll-suggests-brazils-bolsonaro-would-beat-lula-by-one-point-runoff-2026-09-08/) in next month’s presidential election could undermine the country’s commitment to the bloc. The founders will not be the only delegations in attendance. Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, all new members, will be there, introducing fresh tensions into the agenda and some awkward photo calls. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE’s leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, however, are expected to dispatch lesser officials in their place. The central question is how the summit’s final communiqué will address the war. The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit [produced](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/sco-slams-attacks-sanctions-on-iran-key-takeaways-from-bishkek-summit) a final document that included implicit criticism of the United States and Israel. We will see whether the UAE delegation allows for similar language from Delhi. Whatever emerges from the gathering, BRICS is unlikely to become an anti-American or anti-Western power bloc anytime soon. Its clout is already limited by the rivalry between China and India. The four founding members also have divergent interests whenever a conflict carries major consequences for energy markets: Russia and Brazil are major exporters who want higher energy prices while China and India, as major importers, prefer lower ones. Equally important, the bloc now includes American treaty allies or longstanding partners, among them the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. Their presence will impose another check on BRICS’s ambitions. All of them want to hedge against dependence on an increasingly unpredictable America. Most of them also want to preserve a stable relationship with the global superpower. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/"},"headline":"Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America","datePublished":"2026-09-11T14:30:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-11T13:30:10.164Z","description":"BRICS is unlikely to become an anti-American or anti-Western power bloc anytime soon, and its clout is already limited by the rivalry between China and India.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/","keywords":["World"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf81d62151f9cfd80/6aa400b61960411ccff4b47b/GettyImages-2294082834.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ian Bremmer","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/ian-bremmer/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf81d62151f9cfd80/6aa400b61960411ccff4b47b/GettyImages-2294082834.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2294082834.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Arun SANKAR-AFP via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/09/11/brics-china-india-new-delhi-summit-america/","name":"Why a Divided BRICS Poses No Challenge to America"}}]}] ```