India can harmonise global economy: Nigerian journo on BRICS leadership

Nigerian journalist Idehai Frederick praised India's BRICS leadership, saying it can harmonise the global economy. Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati called India's leadership 'amazing' as her country joins the bloc for the first time.

Chairman of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN), Idehai Frederick, on Saturday said that India has the vision, strength and potential to harmonise the global economy through BRICS, while Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati called India's BRICS leadership an “amazing” and “exciting” opportunity as Indonesia participates in the grouping as a member for the first time.

India Can Harmonise Global Economy: Nigerian Journalist

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Frederick praised India's leadership of the grouping and highlighted the scope for stronger cooperation between India and Nigeria. “Indian BRICS leadership is wonderful. India is the biggest economy in this region and one of the largest economies and the biggest democracy in this region too. Nigeria, my country, is the largest economy and biggest democracy in Africa. So for India to be the largest in Asia and Nigeria to be the largest in Africa, it means there is a lot we can do together,” Frederick said.

He highlighted India's economic presence in Nigeria, saying Indian companies were among the country's largest private employers and that the two countries had developed strong trade and business ties. “India is the largest private employer of labour in my country. While the government is one, India is number two. In terms of trade volume and trade partnership, India has been wonderful. We have been doing constructive and wonderful business with India,” he said.

Frederick said India's BRICS leadership was significant given the grouping's population, vision and drive, and called for greater collaboration among its members. “Leadership in BRICS is apt, because its population, its vision, and its drive are wonderful and next to none,” he said.

On BRICS completing two decades, Frederick said the grouping had come a long way and continued to improve with each summit. “The BRICS summit has come a very long way, and the good thing is that in every session, there is improvement. So what we are looking for is just this harmonious leadership that they are advocating for,” he said.

He called for greater consensus among BRICS members, saying collaboration rather than competition was needed to strengthen the global economy. “Let us just go into consensus and have it done and move on, because with that everything will be normal. There is no need for competition. What we need is more of collaboration, so it's not competition, it's collaboration,” Frederick said.

He added that India had the potential to unite and harmonise not only Asian and African economies but the global economy. “India has all that it takes for that to be done and for them to unite and harmonise the global economy, not just Asia or Africa, but the global economy. They have that potential, they have the power, the vision and the strength and the stride to achieve all that. India is just wonderful,” he said.

'Amazing Event': Indonesian Journalist on BRICS Summit

Meanwhile, Wahidawati, a freelance journalist from Indonesia, said she was excited to attend the summit as Indonesia participated in BRICS as a member for the first time. Speaking to ANI, she said, “This is such an amazing event, and actually this is very exciting because Indonesia is the first time joining as a member of BRICS. So, we will be looking for what we can get here because this is also my first time meeting my president in India. Even in Indonesia, I can't meet him."

Wahidawati also praised the press kit provided to journalists attending the summit, describing it as interesting and highlighting the Indian-themed items included in it. “I just received it yesterday, and this is very interesting. We got a bag and so much inside, with a lot of Indian stuff. I got makhana, like snacks, and also I have one scarf with an Indian printed motif. I also got a tote bag; it's written BRICS. And we got coffee and some stuff like notebooks and everything. I like it,” she said.

India's 2026 BRICS Chairmanship

The remarks come as India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 Chairmanship on September 12-13. India's Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.

BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping currently comprises 11 countries -- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Alongwith 10 partner countries--Nigeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

According to background information on India's 2026 Chairship, BRICS members collectively account for around 49.5 per cent of the global population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade. India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures.

For India, the 2026 Chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)