The discussions also underscored the evolving character of BRICS itself. With 11 members, the grouping now encompasses countries with differing strategic relationships, economic priorities and positions on international conflicts. The challenge is consequently not simply to expand the forum, but to find sufficient common ground for it to produce collective statements and pursue practical cooperation.

India’s role as host and chair placed New Delhi at the centre of that process. The analysts cited by SCMP differed in how they characterised India’s objectives and the broader contest between India and China, but their observations converged on one point: reaching consensus among the enlarged grouping required accommodating competing interests without allowing those differences to derail the summit’s collective agenda.