Towards a Social BRICS: Governance, Justice and the Global South

Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (MCRG), in collaboration with RLS South Asia, is continuing its research on BRICS and the Global South, examining the potential of the bloc to develop people-centred, justice-oriented frameworks for social governance.

India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026 under the theme "Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability." The Summit signals a reorientation of BRICS beyond trade and economics towards issues of health, poverty, food security and climate change. As the collective voice of a significant portion of the global population, BRICS has the potential to become a developmental force for the Global South — but this requires sustained civil society engagement and the development of alternative, community-rooted frameworks.

Building on eight research papers produced in 2025 on themes including food sovereignty, migrant labour, climate change, gender justice and digital labour, MCRG proposes to deepen this inquiry through new research, public discussions and roundtables. Themes will include climate governance, labour and migration, food security, urban governance, health, AI governance and innovative farming practices.

A central focus of the project is the concept of a "social BRICS" — a framework that moves beyond intergovernmental statecraft towards people-led solidarities, ecological justice and popular sovereignty. In the lead-up to the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi, MCRG will organise a Public BRICS event bringing together individuals from across BRICS countries. Gender justice, and in particular women-led alternatives centred on equity and care, will be a cross-cutting theme throughout.

The project will explore whether BRICS can emerge as the voice of the Global South, akin to the role once played by the Non-Aligned Movement. Key areas of focus include BRICS’ impact on global food security, its role in climate governance, and its efforts to reshape multilateral institutions. We will also examine the bloc’s economic strategies—particularly the New Development Bank and initiatives to reduce dependence on the dollar—while assessing their potential to promote inclusive development across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Alongside these external dynamics, the study will address internal issues that shape BRICS as a collective: displacement and migrant labour and women’s empowerment. These challenges are central to understanding whether BRICS can balance national priorities with a shared vision for equitable development.

Through case studies of China, India, Russia, and South Africa, MCRG aims to generate knowledge on how BRICS might contribute to a more just and multipolar global order. By situating BRICS within the broader struggles of the Global South, the project highlights its possibilities and limitations as a counterweight to Western-led institutions.