New delhi: In anticipation of hosting the 18th BRICS summit this weekend, India has devised a slogan aimed at maintaining the group's brand identity while accommodating its newly expanded membership. The slogan, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," cleverly aligns with the acronym representing the body's five original members - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - and also signals objectives that the new members - Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates - can support. According to Deutsche Welle, the slogan reflects India's intention to keep the BRICS summit low-key and neutral. Mihaela Papa, director of the BRICS Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, described it as an elegant reinterpretation of BRICS, focusing on a joint mission rather than just country names. Sushant Singh, a lecturer in South Asian Studies at Yale University, noted India's preference to avoid offending Russia or China, despite its growing orientation toward s the United States. India's role as host is particularly significant as it elevates the importance of this year's gathering compared to last year's summit in Brazil, where notable absences included major leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Putin is expected to attend, Xi's participation remains unconfirmed by Beijing. Papa emphasized the importance of China's top leadership's presence, noting its significance in showcasing BRICS as a "stabilizing force" capable of fostering cooperation between regional rivals like Iran and the UAE. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will be present, but UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is expected to send representatives. Saudi Arabia's participation remains ambiguous, as official BRICS materials generally list it as a member. For India, the summit's significance lies as much in the bilateral meetings it facilitates as in the BRICS gathering itself, with planned discussions between Putin and Indian Prime Mi nister Narendra Modi, and potential talks between Modi and Xi amid ongoing China-India tensions. Despite the high-profile meetings, concrete outcomes are expected to be limited. Singh expressed skepticism about the group's ability to achieve substantial progress, noting that BRICS is not a priority for India. He highlighted India's discomfort with any anti-Western stance, given its focus on defense and trade ties with the US and the West. Instead, India views BRICS as a platform for enhancing trade relationships without confrontational or critical postures towards the West. India's non-aligned status positions it as a potential bridge-builder within BRICS, leveraging its geopolitical weight and relationships across competing camps. Papa suggested that India's approach could steer BRICS towards practical cooperation and global governance reform rather than overt bloc politics. BRICS, now approaching its 18th year, faces challenges in defining its purpose and achieving coherence. While it represents a signif icant portion of the world's population and GDP, doubts persist over its effectiveness. Last year's joint declaration advocated for global governance reforms and condemned international polarization. Papa anticipated progress in trade, monetary cooperation, and agriculture at this year's summit, with discussions focusing on enhancing trade among members, exploring alternative financial architectures, and addressing food security issues. While reforming global governance remains central, India is particularly keen on a coordinated BRICS approach to trade and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Despite these efforts, many, including Singh, remain skeptical of BRICS' ability to achieve meaningful outcomes, citing internal contradictions and external challenges like China's growing dominance and global trade tensions. Singh believes that given the current geopolitical climate and BRICS' inherent challenges, significant achievements are unlikely.