THE move of BRICS grouping -- comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa -- expanding its membership and admitting six countries namely Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates is a significant development. Not only does it mark the consolidation of the global south but also offers a pointer of how the world order is getting reshaped with such consolidation. For Russia, whose President Mr. Vladimir Putin did not attend the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in South Africa, such an expansion offers an opportunity to fight the Western sanctions. For China, inclusion of Iran is consolidation of its anti-US stand. However, in case of Russia and China, support for respective stand is more important than global good. In contrast, for India, such an expansion is a step in right direction towards highlighting the multipolarity of the world. India has been championing the cause of global south, with an understanding of emerging multipolar world, and firm faith in principles of representation to all for co-operation in global interest. The impact of ‘BRICS Plus’ on the global order will take some time to become visible. But, as of now, a good beginning has been made.

 

 

THE loss does not count much. It is only for the sake of academics. The story of R Praggnanandhaa jumps way above the statistics that came out of the FIDE Chess World Cup final. He emerged second-best to eventual champion Magnus Carlsen but in the runners-up finish, the young Indian Grandmaster has marked his run-up for future glory. It will be just a matter of time when the prodigy takes his coveted place in the world of 64 squares where many Indians are also marking their move. For Pragg, the great achievement of taking some big scalps before holding Carlsen in a thinking space might take some time to sink in but the world has already noticed the emergence of a new champion in the making. With Pragg, Indian chess, too, has sounded its arrival on the biggest stage. From Viswanathan Anand to R Praggnanandhaa, the game of wits has completed a brilliant spectrum from which many more colourful champions will soon emerge. India must back the prodigy now with its full might, like it did during Anand’s time. The kid needs his own space and the chess fraternity should take care of the talent by allowing it to blossom. Let him make the biggest moves.