India enjoys the status of an invitee to G7 summits, but when it comes to BRICS, India functions as a host. In club parlance, this is the difference between being a full member with all rights versus a guest member with limited rights. India is more than just a full member of BRICS - it is its founding member.
Since the first summit in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, India has been a constant in BRICS' journey. Neither the financial crisis of 2008 nor the formation of G20, of which the original BRICS members are a part, or existence of G7 have been able to subsume BRICS. Far from stuttering, BRICS has undergone unprecedented expansion in 2024 to 11 members and 10 partner countries. The upcoming summit will be the first in the expanded format, including also outreach invitees and heads of international organisations, to be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
