Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing under former US President Donald Trump, launched a scathing attack on BRICS countries during an interview with the conservative media outlet Real America’s Voice, remarks he later amplified on his X account.

Navarro accused the BRICS grouping of undermining American prosperity, likening their economic practices to "vampires sucking our blood dry" through what he described as unfair trade policies. He argued that the economies of BRICS states are heavily reliant on the US market and that none of the members could survive without selling their goods to America.

Framing the export dynamic as exploitative, Navarro charged that these countries were collectively draining US resources by distorting trade in their favour, while offering little reciprocity.

Beyond trade, Navarro predicted instability within BRICS, portraying the alliance as fragile and unsustainable given what he called the “historical animosity” among its members.

He claimed that Russia and China, despite building their growing strategic partnership, remain divided by deep-seated distrust, referencing Beijing’s centuries-old territorial claims over Vladivostok and alleged illegal Chinese migration into Siberia as evidence of brewing tensions.

Turning to India, he emphasised New Delhi’s decades-long border conflict with China while reminding his audience that China’s past assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear program remains a red flag for India. Navarro further speculated that Chinese naval influence in the Indian Ocean directly threatens India’s security, calling into question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ability to safeguard Indian interests amid these dynamics.

In his remarks, Navarro also derided Brazil, another core BRICS member, predicting economic decline under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government, which he labelled “socialist.” According to him, Brazilian society remains fractured, with its “real leaders” being suppressed, a thinly veiled reference to political opponents of Lula.

This, he suggested, would weaken Brazil’s role in sustaining BRICS as a coherent bloc. Overall, he maintained that internal contradictions, territorial disputes, and geopolitical rivalries would ultimately prevent BRICS from functioning as a genuine counterweight to US-led structures, dismissing its long-term viability.

Navarro’s outburst, however, stood in stark contrast to the messaging from the BRICS leadership, who had just convened a virtual summit chaired by Brazil. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscored the need for BRICS to focus on stabilising the global economy amid turbulence caused by ongoing conflicts and their outsized impact on the Global South.

He highlighted India’s call for the grouping to champion multilateral reforms and support long-term stability in international institutions. Similarly, President Lula emphasised that BRICS discussions centred on building a more just, balanced, and inclusive international order, one that can meet the challenges faced by developing economies more effectively.

He reaffirmed the bloc’s dedication to safeguarding multilateralism, reforming global governance, and contributing proactively to peace and conflict resolution.

BRICS, as of 2025, has grown into a more expansive configuration of eleven members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran.

The enlargement reflects a deliberate effort to transform the bloc into a political and diplomatic coordination platform for the Global South, extending beyond its original economic dimension into areas including security, energy, development, and governance.

Despite Navarro’s dismissive critique, the grouping's rhetoric stresses the need for cooperative solutions to global challenges, balance in world institutions long dominated by the West, and solidarity among emerging powers seeking to realign an international order perceived as outdated and inequitable.

Based On ANI Report