New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has urged BRICS nations to safeguard global trade from rising protectionism, warning that linking trade to unrelated issues only complicates the system. His remarks came during a BRICS meeting on Monday, against the backdrop of fresh US tariff moves under President Donald Trump.

Call For Predictable Trade Environment

Jaishankar stressed that the world needs a “stable and predictable environment for trade and investment.” He said the focus should be on making global supply chains “resilient, reliable, redundant and shorter” to withstand disruptions.

The minister also highlighted the need to “democratise manufacturing and production” across geographies, which he said would strengthen regional self-sufficiency and reduce vulnerabilities in uncertain times.

Subtle Swipe At US Tariff Policy

Without naming Washington directly, Jaishankar criticised the trend of imposing new trade barriers. “Increasing barriers and complicating transactions will not help. Neither would the linking of trade measures to non-trade matters,” he said.

He urged BRICS partners themselves to examine trade flows, pointing out that India runs some of its largest trade deficits with fellow member states. “We have been pressing for expeditious solutions, and we hope this realisation will be part of today’s takeaways,” he added.

Protecting Developing Nations

Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s position that the global trading system must remain “open, fair, transparent, non-discriminatory, inclusive, and rules-based,” with special treatment for developing nations.

He also flagged the impact of ongoing global conflicts on the Global South, noting worsening food, energy, and fertiliser insecurity. “When shipping is targeted, not only trade but livelihoods suffer. A selective protection cannot be a global answer,” he warned, calling for diplomacy and early resolution of conflicts.

Push For Multilateral Reforms

The minister further criticised international organisations for repeated failures to find consensus on key global issues. He underlined that these shortcomings strengthen the case for reforming multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and its Security Council.

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