President Donald Trump’s latest remarks have sparked debate over whether his tough talk on BRICS indirectly targets India, one of the bloc’s founding members.
Calling BRICS “an attack on the U.S. dollar,” Trump said he warned member nations of steep tariffs if they pursued a common currency to rival the dollar. “You want to play that game, I’m going to put tariffs on all your products,” he said Tuesday, claiming several countries have since “dropped out.”
India, which helped establish BRICS in 2009, has sought to separate itself from the bloc’s de-dollarisation agenda. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has repeatedly said New Delhi “has no interest in weakening the U.S. dollar,” citing Washington as India’s top trade partner.
Analysts say Trump’s tariff threats appear aimed at the group’s economic ambitions rather than India specifically, but they underscore the delicate balance New Delhi must maintain between BRICS and Washington.