India’s growing global economic power and influence in international decision-making are evident. Over the past two decades, it has emerged as a key player in geopolitical discussions, marking a significant shift in its global standing.

A major driver of this growth is India’s leadership role in BRICS, an alliance formed in 2009 that originally had Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as members. Today, BRICS has grown into a substantial intergovernmental organisation with eleven emerging economies, which now include Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Through BRICS, India gains a platform to balance China’s influence and tackle global issues. This engagement enhances India’s foreign policy and has a positive impact on its domestic conditions. As one of the largest global consumers, India leverages its role to secure better trade deals and improve energy cooperation, benefiting the middle class and strengthening its global standing.

Now let’s explore how BRICS is helping India and what effects it has on the middle class in detail.

India’s Recent Economic Milestones Exhibiting Its Growing Global Influence

India has achieved a number of significant milestones in 2025 that showcase its growing economic power. In the January-March quarter, the nation recorded a robust GDP growth of 7.4%. This figure surpassed expectations and marked the fastest quarterly expansion of this fiscal year.

This surge was set in motion by consequential gains in the construction and manufacturing sectors, alongside a notable rebound in rural consumption. For the entire fiscal year 24-25, India's economy expanded by 6.5%, maintaining its status as the fastest-growing major economy.

A monumental achievement in 2025 is the projection of India overtaking Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the 2026 fiscal year. India’s nominal GDP is projected to reach $4.187 trillion, marginally surpassing Japan’s estimated $4.186 trillion.

The nation’s growth is increasingly driven by domestic demand, particularly from rural areas. The favourable monsoon conditions, rising farm incomes, and easing inflation have pushed India’s economy.

This internal momentum not only reinforces India’s economic stability but also enhances its influence within international coalitions such as BRICS.

Notably, the collective GDP of BRICS nations has surpassed that of the G7 when measured by purchasing power parity. Therefore, as India grows, so does BRICS’ influence in shaping the global economy.

                                                                                                                Source: Statista

Role of BRICS in India’s Economic Rise

Through this intergovernmental organisation, India got a stage to strengthen economic cooperation, trade, and political influence among its members. Thus, India’s growth is fundamentally supported by the partnerships it has formed through BRICS.

Particularly, it's the recent expansion of BRICS that has greatly benefited India in terms of energy security and diversification. As major oil producers like Saudi Arabia, Iran and the UAE are now members, the BRICS alone accounts for approximately 43.1% of global crude oil production. And India, being one of the largest crude oil importers, stands to benefit from strong energy ties with these oil-exporting countries.

Furthermore, the diversity and size of BRICS provide India with resilience against global economic shocks and geopolitical stability. With five additional members now, the bloc boasts greater heterogeneity, helping India to benefit from trade detours and new infrastructure investments that push its growth.

India has been experiencing economic stability due to these factors. Its total goods trade with BRICS and BRICS Plus countries reached about $335 billion in 2023-24. It’s an impressive increase compared to $189 billion in the 2008-09 period. Furthermore, the BRICS’ three members, China, the UAE, and Russia, remained among India's top five trade partners.

The nation also regularly highlights the crucial position of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the BRICS framework. With over 5.93 crore registered MSMEs contributing 45.73% of India’s exports, the sector plays a crucial role in driving inclusive economic growth.

Impact of India’s Global Rise Through BRICS on Its Middle Class

The economic growth of any country has a direct impact on its citizens, most prominently on its middle class. It’s because either their income increases and they climb up the ladder to riches, or the impact is negative, leading them to slip to lower income groups.

However, in India’s case, the impact has been positive because of the steady growth trajectory. There will be nearly 38% middle-class citizens in India by 2031, with projections indicating a rise to 60% by 2047. That means the lower-income group will see a rise in their earnings as the nation keeps going steady in terms of economic growth.

With increasing income, shifts in spending ability and consumer behaviour are inevitable. Since these factors are interconnected, a change in one leads to a change in the other. The middle class is channelling the increased spending power towards durable goods, technology, and lifestyle products.

Notably, the increased consumption of online entertainment among the middle class has led to positive changes in various industries. This includes e-commerce, iGaming, gambling, online streaming, social media, and more. The gaming industry, for example, is growing at a rapid pace. It’s projected that the Indian gaming industry may reach the mark of $6 billion by 2028.

Another sector is gambling, which traditionally existed on the fringes but is now seeing explosive growth in a digital format. Although operating online casinos is not easy in India, and many have left the Indian gambling market, the industry still keeps growing.

In 2024 alone, online gambling in India generated a revenue of USD 5,015.9 million. This is projected to be doubled by 2030 at a CAGR of 13.7%. Among all its segments, sports betting is leading this rise due to its similarity with the cricket craze in India.

Source: Grand View Research

Lakshay Dhiman from SevenJackpots, a leading authority known for its unbiased, transparent reviews and independent research on the Indian gambling industry, noticed a similar pattern in the Indian gambling industry.

He stated that “there’s definitely a rise in online gambling in India, and SevenJackpots’ research on consumer behaviour analysis on online gambling in partnership with Ken Research found the same. Delhi (36.5%) and Maharashtra (25.7%) are the top two states with the highest number of online gamblers, and it's probably because of better spending ability and technological advancements.”

Lakshay further added that “sports betting leads the way among Indian gamblers, followed by card and board games. And the upward trend will possibly continue as the gambling industry’s revenue is projected to double by 2030.”

Therefore, India’s rise through global platforms like BRICS doesn’t just reflect in GDP charts or diplomatic wins; it filters down to the lives of its citizens. Especially the middle class, which sees potential for higher incomes, digital integration, better quality of life, and expanding choices.

Conclusion

The key takeaway is that BRICS has been pivotal in India’s global economic rise. The bloc has provided the nation a gateway to dominate the global socio-economic sectors and diversify its own earning potential.

Such growth not only solidifies India’s position among the world's largest economies but also enhances the quality of life for its citizens. By leveraging improved multilateral trade agreements, India is able to expand its exports to a wider array of countries and attract increased foreign investment. Therefore, India is paving the way for a brighter economic future.