Goa, July 6 -- Leaders of the expanded BRICS group have convened in Rio de Janeiro for a high-stakes summit aimed at strengthening ties among emerging economies and countering the growing influence of Western-led global institutions. The gathering, however, is taking place under the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive new tariff policies and intensifying global trade friction.

The summit marks the first major meeting of the enlarged BRICS bloc, which now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE alongside founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group is looking to project itself as a unified voice for the Global South and a champion of multilateralism in a rapidly pol...