Reviving IBSA

IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) had become redundant after South Africa joined BRIC as its fifth member. Now the efforts are made to revive the IBSA.

Efforts at Regaining IBSA

• The eleventh BRICS summit scheduled to be held in Brazil is expected to hold the IBSA summit a day earlier.
• IBSA Foreign Ministers was held at Pretoria in 2018. Last IBSA summit was held in 2011 and all associated activities associated with IBSA had petered out by 2013.

Why IBSA is gaining traction?

• India, Brazil and South Africa are all members of BRICS and are also the contenders which are pushing for the expansion of the UNSC.
• But rarely push for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council gets traction at BRICS.
• There is a dominating presence of Russia and China in the BRICS. Both Russia and China are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and have little interest in pushing for its expansion.

During the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, the heads of government of the IBSA countries said that despite 10 years of its existence BRICS does not fully address the aspirations with respect to multilateralism and UNSC expansion. BRICS had deviated from the objective of promoting multilateralism in world affairs. Hence the ball has set rolling for reviving IBSA.

IBSA

IBSA is a trilateral platform which brings three world s large democracies India, Brazil and South Africa into a single platform. All three are facing similar challenges.

IBSA was established in 2003 through the Brasilia Declaration as a coordinating mechanism amongst three emerging countries, three multiethnic and multicultural democracies to:

• Contribute to the construction of a new international architecture.
• Bring their voice together on global issues.
• Deepen their ties in various areas.

The principles, norms and values underpinning the IBSA are participatory democracy, respect for human rights and the Rule of Law.