China outlines AI, smart manufacturing vision for BRICS - The Hindu

**China Sets Out AI‑Driven Smart‑Manufacturing Blueprint for BRICS**

Beijing used the latest BRICS summit to unveil a comprehensive “AI and Smart Manufacturing” agenda that it says will drive the bloc’s economic competitiveness through 2027. The plan, detailed in a white‑paper released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, calls for coordinated investment in artificial‑intelligence research, the establishment of joint standards for industrial‑internet platforms, and the creation of cross‑border “smart‑factory” zones in India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. Chinese officials stress that the initiative is meant to “accelerate the digital transformation of traditional industries” while ensuring that technology transfer respects each member’s sovereignty and development stage.

In parallel, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters that the country is determined to “take forward ties without backsliding,” emphasizing a pragmatic partnership with India despite lingering border disputes. Wang echoed Prime Minister Xi’s sentiment that a “most important consensus” had been reached with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, positioning the two powers as “partners” in the BRICS framework. The diplomatic overture was reinforced by a joint statement from the BRICS foreign ministers, which highlighted “mutual respect, non‑interference and shared prosperity” as guiding principles for the bloc’s cooperation on emerging technologies.

Analysts note that the five‑point BRICS 2027 plan—covering AI, smart manufacturing, green energy, digital finance and supply‑chain resilience—could reshape regional power dynamics. India’s strategic community, cited by *The Times of India* and *The Economic Times*, warns that the plan may tilt the technological balance toward Beijing, potentially limiting India’s own industrial upgrade pathways. However, the same outlets point out that the realpolitik of BRICS allows New Delhi to leverage the initiative to secure technology access while using diplomatic engagement to temper China’s growing influence in South‑Asian and Indo‑Pacific affairs.