External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar emphasized the need for a stable, open, and non-discriminatory global trade system at the BRICS countries’ emergency virtual meeting on Monday. The session, attended by leaders including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Brazil’s Lula da Silva, focused on navigating the current global economic uncertainties and trade disruptions.
Dr. Jaishankar highlighted that the multilateral system faces unprecedented challenges and stressed that trade should remain free from political or non-trade pressures. He called for stronger economic cooperation, resilient and shorter supply chains, and diversified manufacturing to ensure global stability. “Countries must strengthen their economic systems and encourage production in different geographies to contribute to regional self-sufficiency,” he said, emphasizing the need for fair, transparent, and sustainable trade practices.
Addressing concerns of the Global South, he pointed out setbacks in food, energy, and fertilizer security, noting that targeted disruptions in shipping not only affect trade but also livelihoods.
In Guwahati, traders and business leaders welcomed the call for predictable trade policies. Local businesses highlighted that open and cooperative global trade could stabilize imports of essential goods, raw materials, and fertilizers, thereby supporting industrial and retail growth in the region. The emergency BRICS meeting is widely interpreted as a response to global tariff tensions, signaling a push for cooperative economic frameworks among member nations.
