India BRICS Summit draws criticism from Samajwadi Party over democratic inclusivity

The 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam has drawn criticism from the Samajwadi Party (SP) regarding democratic inclusivity and domestic governance.

SP MP Awadhesh Prasad questioned the absence of Chief Ministers from opposition-ruled states at the summit, describing the exclusion as a “sign of the BJP’s anti-democratic mindset” and an attempt to “weaken the roots of democracy.”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticized the ruling Union and Uttar Pradesh governments, stating that high-profile international forums cannot mask domestic governance failures. Yadav emphasized that achieving a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) requires protecting democratic freedoms and the ability to ask questions, rather than using large-scale events as public relations exercises to hide structural issues.

During the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in various bilateral meetings, including discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, among other world leaders.