China has become the main driver of growth: shipments from India to China in April–August 2026-27 reached $9.6 billion, an increase of 39% compared to the same period last year. South Africa showed the sharpest jump among the four — exports there increased by 58%. Brazil and Russia added 13% and 11%, respectively.
A representative of the Indian Ministry of Commerce noted: "India is strengthening its trade presence within the BRICS and is becoming more integrated with the largest economies of the bloc. Exports to the BRICS core are growing almost three times faster than to the expanded group as a whole, and these markets are becoming one of the pillars of the country's export strategy."
Today, the expanded BRICS has significantly more participants than the original five. In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia joined the bloc. In 2025, Indonesia became a member of the organization. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam have received the status of partner countries.
Export growth also covers markets outside the BRICS. Shipments to Japan increased by 43% over the same period, to $3.43 billion. Mineral fuel provided the main increase: plus $231.7 million, or 76%. Additional contributions were made by electronics and aluminum. Exports to Italy increased by about 30% to $3.92 billion from $3.02 billion a year earlier. Supplies to South Korea increased by 22%, to $3.21 billion; the structure includes mineral fuels, electronics, aluminum, ferrous metals and chemicals.
The Indian Ministry of Commerce links the Korean direction with the country's role as a supplier of industrial raw materials, energy resources and intermediate goods for the manufacturing sector of South Korea.
The picture is mixed for Russian importers and exporters working with Indian contractors. The increase in shipments from India to Russia was only 11%, the most modest figure among the four. At the same time, China and South Africa are showing much higher dynamics, which means increased competition from Indian suppliers in these markets. Companies purchasing goods in India or planning to enter the Indian market through BRICS partners should take into account the reorientation of Indian exporters to Chinese and South African destinations as a steady trend of the current financial year.
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