Is BRICS Shake Up On The Cards ? –Prof P K Sharma

Time it is said is none’s fool always changing its hues and contours at regular intervals off and on.So are the pell mell and trauma stricken twists and turns in 21st century-first in the year 2021 followed then in 2025  currently in the first week of March, 2026.The Russia-Ukraine war stretching too far for years together, then Indo-Pak war in 2025  lasting for a couple of days, at present America, Israel and Iran wielding and measuring their fighter bomber planes, drones and missiles in the tug of war assuming very dangerous and devastating proportions.

The United States of America and Israel nourishing their designs of supremacy and dominance sprung up into invasion and war targetting Iran on one or the other flimsy pretext miscalculating the clarity,grit,”do and die spirit” of Iran fully determined dauntlessly to put up a valiant fight that too in self defence to save its skin,both pooh poohing talks with Iran which were already in progress. What America and Israel fancied to be a child’s play and cake walk of just three to four days did stretch too far, at present bouncing beyond weeks with every likelihood of it slipping into uncertain a spell.

Ironically,various world level forums of the ilk of United Nations Organisation, BRICS,G-20,SCO, G-7,QUAD belied hopes of peace loving men and women of grand this universe not playing positive and constructive interventionist role to cool and calm down tempers of ferocity and mounting escalation among the warring nations.Their failure to pause wide ranging destruction and disaster proved to be fatal for humanity with the dance of death and dread spreading agony,desperation and severe ordeals for the innocent masses for no fault of their own.Their utility thus today is under deep cloud relegating the same to the level of Much Ado About Nothing.

The America,Israel and Iran war has  indeed too many lessons and morals for the nations of the world, earlier on living in fools a paradise to take things granted for ever.

There is nothing hard and fast in this world hence world order will undergo a change swiftly vanishing into air the brands like superpower,crony capitalism and imperialism of one nation making others to dance to its tunes blindly with world ultimately again switching over to multi-polar a cosmos.

Bubbling with Make America Great Again (MAGA)thoughts in his second term,US President Donald Trump with his fleeting antics and confusion not only did he make himself a butt of ridicule but in  the long run let down USA too,his MAGA dream thus shattered into pieces when the strait of Hormuz blockade of cargoes by Iran move proved quite contrary to expectations to be a blessing in disguise to Make Iran Great Again (MIGA).The scarcity of crude oil, LPG and LNG did leap up as a windfall fiscally for Iran while in dire straits.

Trump had to eat a humble pie at home and throughout the world as his decision to jump into war with Iran at the instance of Benjamin Netanyahu for a regime change in Iran fell flat like a pack of cards. The CIA, Pentagon, Defence Forces Chiefs, US Congress, UN Charter did not  see eye to eye with Trump’s unilateral a decision. After having been come in for sharp criticism world wide for his unwarranted an act of air lifting abruptly  President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela  and his wife for a change of guard, he did not feel shy at all for repeating yet another blunder of joining hands with Netanyahu to attack Iran with the same malafide intentions. When Iran replied courageously, Trump at his wits end had to call NATO, European Nations to come to America, Israel’s rescue surprisingly finding himself isolated with none coming to their rescue to liberate the strait of Hormuz from the clutches of Iran.

France,Great Britain-two UN veto powers, Germany,Australia,South Africa,Italy even small nations Spain,Sri Lanka, Canada, Mexico, Columbia mustered courage to say no to Trump in his hour of crisis because he did not take anyone into confidence while going for this joint misadventure. However China,Russia did throw their weight behind Iran in a veiled manner but whole heartedly.

No denying the fact that this Trump extreme step of instinctively as well as unilaterally invading Iran has constrained nations of the world to rethink and realign themselves for a safe, sovereign, fearless, peaceful and harmonious a world. The Middle East and West Asia nations have experienced something novel and horrifying too that standing on one’s own legs firmly will help as superpower like America cannot always save them from Gulf Nations-West Asia soils, howsoever mighty USA may brag itself.

Then certain notions and definitions in vogue in the yore ought to be revisited and researched from innovative and humanitarian points of view  impressing upon nations to bid an adieu to worne out,outdated ideas,strategies and tricks above the sleeves of world leaders.Gone are the days of Hegemony,Bullyism and Intimidation nowadays of world powers even nations like Iran and Ukraine can very boldly challenge the might of present so-called superpowers cut to size.The tariff war and cult of sanctions too seem to be on their last legs ! New found the blockade of the strait of Hormuz trick resulting in grave oil-fuel crisis in whole of the world brought Trump and nations of the world down to their knees lifting sanctions imposed on Iran earlier on.

The world organisations,forums like UNO,World Health Organisation,World Bank,International Monetary Fund, International Court of Justice,World Trade Organisation,BRICS,G-20,SCO,G-7 and QUAD so on and so forth will have to strive and struggle for their existence and credibility as these stand very badly exposed.Their roles need a fresh look in wake of changing world a scenario in all respects.The latest two wars have taught small nations to  go in for nuclear tests if they are to survive otherwise without nuclear power they will remain all the time vulnerable.North Korea in bold defiance of Non- Proliferation Treaty did venture to go in for nuclear tests showing USA its real prowess recently.

In light of these recent three wars be it Russia-Ukraine,Indo-Pak,America-Israel and Irans the wars in future will not be of infantry,air and naval wings only but will be of drones and missiles finally heading towards electronic war fare.The weapon trading lobbies involved in war weapons sale purchase in the world will have to  go in for new ideas and innovation keeping in view the changing world warfare.

The terms terrorism, humanity, love,peace,fellow feeling and amity should also be connotised truly in the letter and spirit not on whims and surmises galore. “The might is right” powers so far in the world have been defining the aforementioned terms according to their vested interests to bully the helpless developing nations.

The present world spectrum undoubtedly will see in every likelihood a shake up and recasting soon of BRICS body following its expansion in past two years in form of Iran, Egypt,Indonesia,Ethiopia,Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.In rotation,India is to act as Chairperson of BRICS this year but its position is very awkward now as Brazil,Russia,China, South Africa,Iran and majority of its member nations are pitched against America-Israel and the Chairperson India preferring to adopt a silent sometimes “compromised” a posture of America India’s biggest trade partner and Israel a key technological partner as stated by EAM Jai Shankar Singh in all party March 25 Meet on the on going war among America-Israel and Iran.The chairing of BRICS for full one year for India will really be an uphill challenge under very fastly changing circumstances,developments in every nook and corner of the world.

In every respect,America-Israel assault against Iran has not found favour with the majority of the nations of world.In changed a scenario the BRICS demand for replacement of dollar with other currencies too may become sharper and shriller very promptly. China is already advocating strongly for payments to other nations in its currencyYuan (Renminbi)in trade deals such as crude oil,fuel prices etc.which will upset “Trump’s Trump Card” of strengthening Dollar throughout the world for his long cherished MAGA mission. Other nations may also follow the suit propagating this BRICS nations currency exchange act in trade dealings to replace dollar.

The recent geo-politics of wars will certainly go a long way in undermining the importance then for a change jeopardising  the very existence of global forums such as BRICS,QUAD,G-20,G-7, SCO with the timely a lesson that there are no permanent friends or foes in world politics but only vested interests. The nations may again rethink of embracing policy of non-alignment propounded by great trio of Pandit Nehru,Nasser and Tito in 1945 after many of nations attaining their independence with old order of non-alignment to gain ground again.

The character,faith,sovereignty and integrity thus of nations will also be under the scanner.The Islamic faith- ideology-nations are likely to get impetus and new lease of life with renaissance of powerful Iran appears very much to be in the offing !