![\"Cong](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134060790,imgsize-157715,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/tharoor-hails-brics-as-diplomatic-power-move-differs-with-chidambaram-on-its-gains.jpg\" "\\"Tharoor")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor<\/a> has backed the Brics summit<\/a> as an important diplomatic opportunity for India, breaking ranks with party colleague P Chidambaram<\/a>, who has questioned whether recent Brics meetings have delivered tangible benefits.Defending the grouping\u2019s relevance, Tharoor said it gives India a platform to engage with the Global South and a \u201cdiplomatic convening power\u201d, bringing together countries that collectively account for a large share of the world\u2019s population and economy.Speaking to news agency PTI on Thursday, The Congress MP said the expanded Brics grouping represents a significant share of the global population and economy.\u201cFirst of all, we’re providing an important platform for the Global South. You know, the Global South is over 100 countries, but here we have 11 key players from the Global South who collectively represent much of the diversity of views, as well as the range of countries that we are essentially chairing on this particular occasion. This grouping, the 11 Brics countries, represents a majority of the world’s population and 41 per cent of global GDP”, Tharoor said.Tharoor also highlighted the diplomatic significance of India hosting the summit, with leaders beginning to arrive in New Delhi.\u201cIt’s not a small matter; it’s something that has to be taken very seriously by the rest of the world,\u201d he said.Tharoor also pointed to the diplomatic value of hosting leaders from across the grouping and its partner countries. \u201cSecondly, of course, having a dozen heads of state and government, not only members of Brics but also some observers coming at presidential and prime ministerial level, is a matter of great prestige for us. It shows a certain diplomatic convening power, which has value in and of itself on the global stage.\u201dHis comments came after Chidambaram questioned the outcomes of recent Brics meetings. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Chidambaram said, \u201cI don’t think the last two or three Brics summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results.\u201d\u201cIn fact, we are part of Brics, we are part of SCO, we are part of G20, and we are part of Quad. What benefits are we getting out of that? I can’t see. In the last two or three summits, I didn’t see any benefits. Earlier, the Brics Summits resulted in some tangible benefits,\u201d he added.The remarks triggered a political response from the BJP, which accused the Congress of questioning an event that it said reflected India\u2019s growing global standing.Senior Congress leader and former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, meanwhile, urged the party to view Chidambaram\u2019s remarks as a caution rather than criticism.\u201cIf Chidambaram is giving a word of caution, we should take it in the right spirit,\u201d Khurshid told ANI. \u201cAnd if it’s taken in the right spirit, we may have a better outcome from this summit.\u201dHowever, in another video, Tharoor addressed the difficulties in India-China ties, saying they \u201chave come entirely from one side”. He also cited the Galwan tragedy, border tensions, visa issues and trade leverage and stressed that a \u201cself-respecting India\u201d would stand up for itself and called for greater flexibility, understanding and friendship.“So yes, the bilateral relationship, the bilateral meeting, is potentially very important, but what we’re looking for is a little more flexibility, understanding, and friendship coming from the Chinese side than they’ve shown us in the last six years”, Tharoor added.<\/p>\n Share your thoughts in the comments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n