Overview
- Congress veteran P. Chidambaram questioned whether the last two to three BRICS summits produced tangible benefits for India, saying he did not see concrete results.
- On Thursday, BJP vice president Ram Madhav answered those remarks at an India Today BRICS roundtable by calling the critique a 'naraz phupha' attitude and accusing opponents of being out of touch.
- Madhav argued BRICS matters because its expanded membership includes large, fast-growing countries and because minilateral groupings influence the shifting global order, a claim he supported with population and growth assertions presented as his own statements.
- BJP spokespeople used the exchange to frame opposition criticism as unpatriotic while stressing that hosting the two-day summit in New Delhi — expected to draw leaders such as Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin — is a diplomatic opportunity for India.
- The spat highlights a larger debate over whether multilateral forums deliver measurable returns or primarily offer influence and partnerships, and it could shape public perceptions and summit messaging during India's chairmanship.