Debunking False Reports About India's Alleged Veto of Turkiye's BRICS Membership Request
A German outlet, Bild, reported last week that India had vetoed Turkiye's request for BRICS membership due to its ties with Pakistan. However, Turkiye's Center for Combating Disinformation has clarified that the membership process was not even on the agenda for the Kazan Summit. The Turkish foreign policy expert quoted in Bild's article also refuted the report, stating that the nuances of his views were not included in the article.
BRICS Membership and Turkiye's Role
Sidhant Sibal, a reputable Indian journalist, reported earlier that BRICS had agreed to grant Turkiye partnership status along with a dozen other countries. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, also expressed interest in inviting Turkey to join their association. BRICS membership or lack thereof isn't a big deal as anyone can voluntarily coordinate their financial multipolarity policies with the group. Membership allows countries to participate in discussions, while partnership status allows them to observe these talks in real time.
Turkiye, considering itself a rising power, believes it has the right to at least observe BRICS' financial multipolarity discussions. Russia, the host of this year's summit, agrees with this stance. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was invited to participate in the BRICS Plus/Outreach meeting. Turkiye's transcontinental location and economic influence in the Eurasian Heartland make it an important player in accelerating financial multipolarity processes.
India's Stance on Turkiye's BRICS Membership
Despite disagreements over the unresolved Kashmir Conflict, India appreciates Turkiye's role in the global systemic transition. India's grand strategy aims to carefully multi-align between competing power and influence centers to reap maximum benefits. It only decisively takes a side on issues that directly concern its interests, especially those related to national security.
Turkiye's request to formalize its relationship with BRICS isn't considered something that directly concerns India's interests, particularly not its national security ones. Therefore, it was always dubious that India vetoed this before Turkiye's Center for Combating Disinformation debunked Bild's report. India also respects Russia as a state and the close friendship between Modi and Putin makes it unlikely for Delhi to obstruct Ankara's plans.
Conclusion: Bild's Report Was Fake News
There's no credible indication that Russia and India had any disagreement over BRICS expansion during last week's summit. As such, Bild's report was fake news, the reasons for which only the outlet's editors can account for if they were honest with the public. The report was ultimately counterproductive as it damaged Bild's reputation and exposed it as more of a tabloid than a reliable source of news and insight.
Bottom Line
The false report about India vetoing Turkiye's BRICS membership request serves as a reminder to verify information before accepting it as truth. It also highlights the importance of reliable news sources and the potential damage caused by publishing unverified information. What are your thoughts on this matter? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.
