The dashboard is part of ORCA’s India-China Trade Project. Synopsis: The India-China Trade dashboard- Annual is a comprehensive visualisation of yearly merchandise trade between the two economies. It captures India’s imports and exports to China between 2011-12 to 2021-22 based on the Harmonised System (HS Codes).

The BRICS Kazan Summit, much like previous gatherings of the bloc, was marked by grand declarations of unity and aspirations for a more multipolar global order. Yet, beneath the veneer of solidarity lies a complex web of competing national interests and evolving power dynamics. The underlying logic of great power competition between China, India and Russia to articulate and differentiate their individual but converging interests under the BRICS framework dictates institutional outcomes. This competition for influence between great powers centers developing countries and their priorities, offers them the best possible deal and increases their collective bargaining power. As BRICS membership expands, these dynamics are likely to steer the grouping toward more tangible, meaningful and development-centric outcomes.

In the past few years, bullish visions of China’s regional aspirations have dissipated as its own domestic economic realities have become clear. There has been a significant fall in China’s development spending in the Pacific since 2016. Observers have noted that this is linked to a decrease in Chinese loans across the region, although this has also been a global phenomenon. Expectations around the BRI in the Pacific have also been tempered as various projects have stalled with commentators observing that “half-finished Chinese skyscrapers stand in disrepair” in various Pacific Island countries.

The Chinese Social Credit System (SCS) evolved from historical systems of trust and integrity, incorporating both social and financial creditworthiness. Under President Xi Jinping, its implementation has accelerated, aiming to enhance transparency and compliance across society through a system of rewards and penalties. While the SCS seeks to improve societal trust and reduce corruption, it raises significant concerns about privacy, data security, and individual freedoms.