Editorial Snapshot: 10-July-2025

 

 Building resilience: On the 17th Summit of BRICS emerging economies The Rio declaration underlined the cohesion within BRICS 

The 17th Summit of BRICS emerging economies, which ended on Monday (July 7, 2025)  came at a time when the organisation was in the global spotlight. This was the first such  meeting that included all the newly inducted (1) members (Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, Iran  and Indonesia; Saudi Arabia has not joined so far). It also followed the U.S.-Israel  attacks on Iran’s nuclear programme, and the escalation (2) in Israel’s bombardment of  Gaza. This was the first summit since the four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May. and  also after the G-7 summit in Canada. The BRICS grouping, seen as the next challenger  to the global financial order, is in U.S. President Donald Trump’s cross-hairs, as he sees  it mounting an alternative to the dollar in international trade. In addition, the group has  several internal rivalries that have brought its sustainability (3) into question. In April,  the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting ended without a joint statement, as the African  members held up the wording on the expansion (4) of the UN Security Council.  Meanwhile, despite India’s clarification in March that it is not considering de dollarisation of trade in any form, and that there is no “unified BRICS position” on the  issue, Brazil’s President Lula da Silva doubled down on rhetoric (5) against the U.S.,  saying that BRICS proves the world “doesn’t need an emperor”. Mr. Trump has since  repeated threats that BRICS countries would face an extra 10% tariffs due to the  grouping’s “anti-American stance” — an awkward (6) moment for New Delhi as it  attempts to conclude a trade agreement with Washington. Despite all the challenges, the Rio declaration underlined the basic cohesion (7) and  consensus within BRICS members on a range of issues. In the joint statement, there  was strong language against the attacks on Gaza and condemnation (8) of the strikes  on Iran, given the risks to nuclear safety. India was able to ensure a paragraph with  tough language condemning the Pahalgam terror attack and references to terror  financing and “cross-border movement of terrorists”. India and Brazil won  endorsements (9) of the whole grouping on playing a larger role at the UN, “including  the Security Council”. The absence of the Chinese and Russian Presidents allowed  more space for the non-P5 countries to promote a common vision for the Global South,  adding several important resolutions on energy security, climate change and re-ordering the WTO. The Rio declaration also took a stern (10) view of the U.S.’s moves  on tariffs. As India prepares for its leadership of the BRICS grouping next year, that now  represents about half the global population, around 40% of the global GDP and a quarter of global trade, it can move forward with this consensus, fulfilling the vision for  the grouping’s acronym that Mr. Modi recast as “Building Resilience and Innovation for  Cooperation and Sustainability”.

Death by negligence: On the railway gate accident in Cuddalore The Railways must ensure interlocked gates at all manned level crossings 

Tragedy struck without warning recently when a van carrying children on their daily  school commute collided with a train on the tracks. Three schoolchildren were killed on  Tuesday (July 8, 2025) when the Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai Passenger train, hurtling (1)  at 95 kmph, rammed into their school van at a manned railway gate at Semmankuppam  in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, dragging it for 50 metres. Despite conflicting claims  about how the gate at the non-interlocked level crossing remained open as the train  approached, preliminary (2) evidence points to human error. Southern Railway has  suspended the gatekeeper — now arrested for criminal negligence — alleging that he  yielded (3) to pressure from the van driver and opened the gate in violation of  established protocols. However, accounts from a surviving student and eyewitnesses  contradict (4) this version. The survivor has stated that the gate was already wide open  and the sound of the oncoming train was not heard. There are also claims that the  gatekeeper had fallen asleep. Yet, some reports suggest that just minutes before the  collision, he had exchanged the secret private number with the station master,  indicating the train’s approach to Alappakkam — a detail that may not go unverified in  the inquiry. Even if this is true, this would only show partial adherence (5) to protocol.  He failed in the essential duty of keeping the gate closed until the train had passed — as  clearly laid out in the Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual. At the heart of this accident is the continued use of non-interlocked manned level  crossings. Unlike interlocked gates — where train signals turn green only when gates  are securely locked — non-interlocked systems rely solely on the alertness and  judgment of the gatekeeper. As of October last year, 11,053 manned level crossing  gates in India are interlocked. In the Southern Railway zone, over 300 gates remain non interlocked. Railway unions have long flagged (6) the pressure gatekeepers face from  impatient motorists. The only foolproof solution to prevent such fatal incidents is the  construction of road overbridges or underpasses. However, these projects are often  delayed due to administrative (7) hurdles and land acquisition issues. In this case,  Southern Railway has accused the Cuddalore Collector of not having cleared a railway funded underpass for over a year — a serious charge that demands scrutiny (8). Until  permanent solutions are in place, the Indian Railways must urgently prioritise (9) the  conversion of non-interlocked crossings to interlocked ones. Human lives depend on it.

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