Source: The Indian Express | Author: Ram Madhav

0.1 Why 2026 is important for India

0.1.1 In 2026, India will assume two major global leadership roles simultaneously.
0.1.2 These roles provide India an opportunity to respond to international criticism regarding its democracy and global conduct through institutional leadership.

0.2 First opportunity: Chairmanship of International IDEA

0.2.1 In December 2025, India was elected to chair the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) in 2026.
0.2.2 IDEA is a global organisation dedicated to promoting democratic culture, values, and electoral practices.
0.2.3 Although India has been a member since 1995, it received the chairmanship only after 30 years.

0.3 Why this matters for India’s democracy image

0.3.1 India has faced adverse assessments from institutions such as V-Dem Institute, Freedom House, and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
0.3.2 These reports have portrayed India negatively on democratic credentials and institutional functioning.
0.3.3 The Indian government has rejected these assessments as methodologically flawed and politically motivated.
0.3.4 Chairing IDEA allows India to present empirical evidence and highlight the strength and scale of its democracy.

0.4 Role of Election Commission of India (ECI)

0.4.1 The Election Commission of India will anchor India’s engagement with IDEA.
0.4.2 The ECI must coordinate with government bodies, constitutional institutions, and civil society.
0.4.3 The objective is to correct misperceptions and articulate India’s democratic practices at the global level.

0.5 Second opportunity: India’s leadership of BRICS

0.5.1 India will also assume the chairmanship of BRICS in 2026.
0.5.2 BRICS has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the UAE.
0.5.3 Many countries view BRICS as a platform to counterbalance Western dominance in global institutions.

0.6 Challenges within BRICS

0.6.1 In recent years, BRICS has witnessed internal divisions among member states.
0.6.2 Some members, particularly Russia and China, have attempted to steer BRICS towards an explicitly anti-West orientation.
0.6.3 Proposals such as de-dollarisation and a common BRICS currency have faced resistance, including from India.

0.7 What India should do as BRICS chair

0.7.1 India must prevent BRICS from transforming into a confrontational anti-West bloc.
0.7.2 It should promote principles of pluralism, sovereignty, human dignity, rights, and duties.
0.7.3 India’s leadership should provide direction, balance, and stability amid global geopolitical uncertainty.

0.8 Core message and way forward

0.8.1 2026 offers India a rare chance to lead two influential global institutions simultaneously.
0.8.2 India must approach IDEA and BRICS with equal seriousness, confidence, and strategic clarity.
0.8.3 By delivering outcomes rather than rhetoric, India can prove critics wrong through action.