Belarus eyes deeper BRICS partnership, strengthens India ties for multipolar world

We believe that strengthening interaction in the field of politics and security is a necessary condition for building a fair, multipolar system of international relations. Moreover, our activities in BRICS are aimed at sustainable economic development, preserving and developing human potential, ensuring high social standards and a good quality of life, introducing innovations and the latest technologies.

Moreover, BRICS countries, their friends and partners have the opportunity to become a new economic power, as the potential of BRICS is huge, from combating the fragmentation of the multilateral trading system to developing its own mechanism for mutual agreements that minimize the risks of external pressure and global crisis, from ensuring global food security to establishing unified rules for the development and use of artificial intelligence.

Belarus expects to join the BRICS financial institution, the New Development Bank, and focus on creating qualitative conditions for the development of trade and investment cooperation, developing new safe financial settlement mechanisms and implementing investment projects in the BRICS area.

Of course, our interests and goals are much broader. We are ready for comprehensive cooperation within BRICS and demand the active participation of partner states in group activities. Belarus sees BRICS not only as an association but also as a strategic platform for the future. Its members face ambitious tasks that require coordinated efforts. Belarus is willing to take an active part in this important work.

Also read: BRICS can help countries facing challenges in energy supply, food, fertilizer and health security, says EAM Jaishankar

2. What is the current status of India-Belarus relations and how can they be improved?

Relations between our countries have been described as close, warm and open since the Soviet period. Indian culture, its unique spiritual traditions and historical heritage have always aroused genuine interest among Belarusians.

Next year, the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries will be celebrated. We are approaching this anniversary with a stable contact dynamic in every field, from trade to industry, from humanitarian relations to multilateral diplomacy.

Both countries confirm their determination to raise cooperation to a qualitatively new level, reflected in regular political contacts and increased economic activity, including in fundamentally new areas.

At the end of October 2025, the 8th round of consultations took place between the Foreign Ministries of our countries, covering the entire spectrum of relations from politics to economy, from assembly plants to cultural ties. Mr. Ashok Kumar, India’s new Ambassador to Minsk, is a very active diplomat; Together with our Ambassador to New Delhi, Mr. Mikhail Kasko, they constantly propose new solutions to strengthen our relations.

The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economy, Trade, Industry, Science, Technology and Cultural Cooperation between our countries is planned to be held at the end of May 2026. We look forward to the visit of Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada to Belarus to participate in this event. The importance of India for us is also emphasized by the high status of our Commission chairman, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov.

As part of this event, a bilateral business forum is planned, as well as the signing of a number of important policy documents for the coming years.

Belarusian airline Belavia has been operating direct flights between Minsk and Delhi for two years, which not only promotes tourism but also strengthens commercial cooperation between the two countries. We also encourage Indian airlines to consider the capabilities of Belarusian airports, both in terms of passenger services and cargo terminals.

3. What are the priority areas of the partnership?

Over the last 10 years, areas of cooperation between Belarus and India have expanded significantly. This is confirmed by the fact that by the end of 2025, the total turnover of goods and services between our countries will exceed 1 billion dollars for the first time in history.

An important area of ​​co-working is agriculture. Our country is one of the world leaders in the mineral fertilizer market, and the supply of potassium fertilizer from Belarus is of strategic importance for the Indian agricultural sector and food security.

We are interested in purchasing Indian agricultural products including spices and tea which are very popular here.

Overall, growth in India’s exports to Belarus in recent years has been driven by important and sometimes critical products such as pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, chemicals and textiles.

We are also exploring new areas of cooperation based on the mutual interests of our business communities. One such area is seafood trading and processing. This issue was discussed during the visit of a delegation of major Indian companies to Minsk this week.

Our countries are currently working on a transition from supplying fully assembled complex products to India (trucks, tractors, buses and other products) to establishing joint ventures as part of the Indian government’s mass production policy in import substitution industries. In this context, efforts to establish joint assembly and domestic production facilities for cooperation within the scope of the “Make in India” industrialization program and the “Smart Cities” urban development program have intensified. And our country really has a lot to offer.

The Government of India has set an ambitious target to completely convert urban public transport to environmentally friendly electric traction by 2030. The Republic of Belarus can also make a significant contribution to the transformation of public transport in the country and reducing its environmental impact. Electric transport has been actively used in Belarus for more than 20 years. For example, in 2025, 50 percent of public transportation in our capital Minsk consisted of electric vehicles. We are ready to share our experience and technologies in this important field.

Investment opportunities from Indian companies, especially India’s strong pharmaceutical sector, remain important for the Belarusian economy. Three major investment projects involving Indian capital and pharmaceutical technologies have already been implemented in Belarus. Assistance is provided in the implementation of new major projects by leveraging India’s expertise and investment.

When you look at Belarus, its unique geographical location in the center of Europe and its advanced logistics infrastructure are undeniable. Important trade routes from Asia to Europe pass through our country. Belarus is set to become a shipping hub for India’s products destined for Europe and Russia.

We have extensive experience in collaboration in the field of education. Currently, around 1000 Indian students are studying in Belarusian universities. All of these young professionals defend their diplomas in India when they graduate. This is a small figure for India; That is why we are currently actively working on mutual recognition of higher education diplomas.

Last year, at the invitation of our President Alexander Lukashenko, two dozen children from India vacationed in Belarus. This July, we invite Indian children to the beautiful holiday destinations of our country again. This humanitarian initiative of our President is being implemented entirely with Belarusian funds.

Cultural exchanges continue to be an important part of our relations. Indian cinema enjoys great popularity in Belarus. I am pleased to note that Belarus’ leading film studio Belarusfilm is already actively cooperating with Indian companies. Indian directors are increasingly visiting Belarus to shoot films and music videos for Bollywood. The participation of Indian contestants in the Listapad International Film Festival in Minsk has become a fine tradition.

I would like to note that many women in Belarus practice yoga, from classical hatha to ashtanga and yoga therapy.

Regional contacts are developing. 40 years ago, a sister city agreement was signed between Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and Bangalore, India. Cooperation agreements between Belarusian regions and Maharashtra, Gujarat and others are in the pipeline.

The Consulate General of Belarus in Mumbai has been operating successfully for several years and provides another diplomatic center that actively develops relations between our countries. We are also working to accredit new Belarusian honorary consuls in Indian regions, which will contribute to a more effective rapprochement between our countries.

Therefore, the current dynamics and quality of relations between our countries, together with positive examples of cooperation in almost every field, reveal a strong mutual interest in the further development of cooperation.

4. How can the India-EAEU FTA help India’s presence in Eurasia?

We are witnessing the deepening of global contradictions and the weakening of the Western-centered global development model. Under these conditions, the role and influence of regional organizations that unite states around the principles of equality, respect for mutual interests, non-interference in internal affairs and indivisible security are increasing. I am sure India shares these approaches.

Belarus, the founding country of the Eurasian Economic Union, wants to expand the circle of partners and leverage the potential of partners to implement mutually beneficial projects.

We welcome the activation of work on the draft Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and India. The successful signing of this ambitious FTA will result in the facilitation of export/import procedures between partners, reduction or removal of tariffs on an agreed number of products traded between the EAEU and India, and finally, increased turnover. Not only the exporters and importers of both parties, but also our citizens will benefit from the FTA.

We hope that agreements on mutual trade liberalization will be quickly realized, which will also facilitate the growth of Belarus-India ties.