Thu Dec 18 03:37:43 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article:

Summary:

Brazil has officially handed over the BRICS presidency to India, symbolized by a gavel made of recycled Amazonian wood to represent sustainability. Brazil’s 2025 presidency focused on sustainability and inclusive development, culminating in declarations on AI governance, climate finance, and disease elimination at the Rio de Janeiro summit. Despite challenges, including pressure from the U.S. under President Trump, Brazil strengthened BRICS’s role as a multilateral platform and criticized the current global financial architecture. India’s incoming presidency will focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, building on Brazil’s achievements and continuing key initiatives.

News Article:

India Assumes BRICS Presidency, Vows to Build on Brazil’s Legacy Amidst Global Challenges

Sao Paulo, Brazil – December 18, 2025 – India has officially taken over the BRICS presidency from Brazil, setting the stage for 2026 leadership within the influential bloc of emerging economies. The symbolic handover occurred at a ceremony in Brasilia, where Brazil’s Ambassador Mauricio Lyrio presented India’s Ambassador Sudhakar Dalela with a gavel crafted from recycled Amazonian wood, a gesture emphasizing Brazil’s focus on sustainability during its term.

Brazil’s presidency, which formally concludes at the end of the year, was marked by significant strides in promoting sustainable and inclusive development. Key outcomes included declarations at the Rio de Janeiro summit in July addressing the governance of artificial intelligence, establishing a climate financing framework, and forging a partnership to combat socially determined diseases.

“This year was especially significant as it coincided with the consolidation phase of the expanded membership. Brazil’s leadership has been exemplary,” Dalela said, signaling India’s commitment to continuity.

The past year has been particularly challenging for BRICS, facing mounting trade pressures and a wave of unilateral sanctions from a re-elected Trump administration in the United States. Brazil, however, successfully navigated these hurdles, reaffirming BRICS’s relevance as a platform for dialogue and multilateralism.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira emphasized that BRICS’s impact would increasingly be measured by its effect on everyday lives, underscoring the need for the bloc to deliver concrete results. Brazilian President Lula da Silva also used the Rio summit to criticize the global financial architecture, advocating for systemic reforms to the World Bank and IMF.

Looking ahead, India’s presidency will be guided by four core pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. According to Ambassador Dalela, India plans to build on the momentum generated by Brazil, with ongoing initiatives on climate change, artificial intelligence, and scientific cooperation set to continue. The focus will be on consolidating the expanded BRICS membership while remaining true to the original BRICS principles to shift global governance. The new chapter will likely be based on continuity and consolidation.

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