How has India's "Humanity First" approach during its 2026 BRICS Presidency tried to make the grouping more relevant to the Global South? Critically evaluate.

India's 2026 BRICS Presidency had the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". Its vision was "People-Centric" and "Humanity First": cooperation is judged by its effect on people, not only by outcomes between governments [1]. BRICS holds about 49.5% of the world's population [1]. India tried to turn that population weight into a stronger Global South voice, and it partly succeeded.

How "Humanity First" sought Global South relevance

• Inclusive expansion: India championed BRICS expansion, which strengthened the voice and trust of the Global South [1]. Kazan (2024) had already created a partner-country category [2].
• Governance reform: The New Delhi Declaration (18th Summit) pushed for global governance reform and a multipolar order. China and Russia backed the "aspirations" of Brazil and India to play a "greater role" in the UN, "including its Security Council" [3].
• People's concerns on the agenda: Climate change, public-health emergencies, technological change and social inequality were named as issues citizens expect Parliaments to address [1].
• Parliamentary diplomacy: The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, themed "Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development", carried the vision to legislators of both member and partner countries [1].
• Security as a human concern: The 11th Forum in Brasília (2025) condemned the Pahalgam attack and called for zero tolerance on terrorism [4].

Limitations

• Soft wording: BRICS decides by consensus, so the declaration offers only a "greater role", not a permanent seat. The India–Brazil bilateral statement goes further: each country supports the other's permanent membership [5]. China and Russia keep their P5 veto over any change to the UN Charter.
• Non-binding outcomes: Forum declarations create no obligations. Treaty-making is an executive power, and Parliament legislates only to implement agreements (Article 253).
• Undefined partner role: Partner countries attend the Forum, but their rights are not spelled out [1]. A larger group faces a legitimacy-versus-cohesion trade-off.
• Accountability gap: Follow-up on past declarations is not visibly tracked, and no parliamentary committee in India has formally reviewed the summit text.

"Humanity First" has put people at the centre of the BRICS agenda and widened its Global South base. So far, however, its gains are more in rhetoric than in institutions. Three steps would help: a report-back mechanism at the 13th Forum, review by Parliament's Committee on External Affairs, and clear rules for partner roles. Together they would make the vision accountable and advance SDG 17 (partnerships) in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.