Tharoor breaks ranks with Chidambaram, backs BRICS Summit as ‘diplomatic power move’ | India News - Hindustan Times

**New Delhi –** As India prepares to host the BRICS summit in Jaipur later this year, a rare public rift has emerged within the ruling opposition party. Veteran Congress leader **Shashi Tharoor** praised the gathering as a “diplomatic power move” that underscores India’s growing clout on the global stage, emphasizing the forum’s potential to foster multilateral cooperation on trade, technology and climate action. Tharoor, who served as India’s UN ambassador, said the summit would showcase “India’s strategic relevance” and help the country shape the agenda of emerging economies.

In contrast, senior Congress figure **P. Chidambaram** questioned the tangible benefits of the BRICS meeting, arguing that the bloc’s internal divergences and lack of a cohesive economic agenda could limit any real payoff for India. Speaking at a parliamentary committee, Chidambaram warned that “participation alone does not translate into measurable outcomes” and urged the party to focus on domestic reforms instead of high‑profile diplomatic events. The BJP seized on the dissent, with party chief **Nitin Nabin** dismissing the opposition’s debate as “Naraz Fufa” and suggesting that the Congress was suffering from “FOMO” over India’s elevated global stature.

The split highlights an emerging fault line within the Congress, which has traditionally rallied around a united foreign‑policy stance. While Tharoor’s endorsement aligns with the party’s broader narrative of positioning India as a leader among developing nations, Chidambaram’s skepticism reflects growing concerns over resource allocation and the practical returns of multilateral engagements. Analysts note that the disagreement could affect the party’s ability to present a cohesive critique of the government’s foreign‑policy agenda ahead of the 2024 general elections, while also signaling the BJP’s intent to capitalize on any perceived disunity within the opposition.