Wang Yi’s BRICS Security Diplomacy: Rebuilding Trust Amidst Tensions
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s attendance at the BRICS National Security Advisers (NSAs) gathering is more than a routine diplomatic engagement. It is widely seen as a calculated move to reassert Beijing’s role in shaping the global security agenda while simultaneously managing the delicate task of repairing strained ties with India after years of confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The BRICS platform, now expanded beyond Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to include several new members from the Global South, has increasingly positioned itself as a counterweight to Western-led institutions. By participating in discussions on the international security situation, Wang Yi signals China’s intent to shape narratives around both traditional security, including territorial disputes and military balance, and non-traditional security, including cyber threats, pandemics and climate change. This dual focus reflects Beijing’s desire to project itself as a responsible stakeholder in global governance, even as it faces criticism for its assertive regional posture.
The gathering serves as a preparatory step for the upcoming BRICS Summit in India. China’s participation ensures that its priorities, such as reforming global institutions, resisting Western sanctions regimes and promoting multipolarity, are embedded in the summit’s agenda. For Wang Yi, the meeting is also a chance to demonstrate China’s willingness to engage constructively in multilateral settings, softening perceptions of unilateralism.
Equally significant are the bilateral meetings Wang Yi is expected to hold with Indian counterparts. These conversations are not merely symbolic. They are part of a deliberate effort to stabilize relations after the prolonged border crisis. While the LAC remains tense, both sides recognize the costs of unchecked hostility. For Beijing, rebuilding ties with New Delhi is widely viewed as essential to prevent India from drifting further into U.S.-led security frameworks. For India, dialogue offers a chance to manage differences without sacrificing sovereignty or strategic autonomy.
The visit underscores a pragmatic recognition that neither side can afford perpetual confrontation. Wang Yi’s presence at the BRICS NSAs meeting is arguably a diplomatic balancing act, projecting China’s global leadership while quietly testing the waters for rapprochement with India. The symbolism of engaging in India-hosted multilateral diplomacy after years of border standoffs is itself seen by some observers as a gesture of cautious reconciliation.
In essence, Wang Yi’s attendance is not just about BRICS solidarity. It is about recalibrating China’s regional diplomacy, managing tensions with India and positioning Beijing as a central voice in shaping the evolving global security order.
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Khedroob Thondup
Khedroob Thondup is the son of Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of the Dalai Lama. Educated at St. Stephens College Delhi University and the University of San Francisco. He was a personal assistant to the Dalai Lama and accompanied him on his first trip to the U.S. in 1979. He was sent by the Dalai Lama to Beijing from 1980 till 1993 for dialogue talks where he interacted with Xi Zhongxun and Hu Jintao. He has served as Member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile for three terms and is the President of the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre Darjeeling since 1987. He has edited two books, Dalai Lama My Son and Tibet in Turmoil and presently lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
