He made this statement during a closed-door plenary session at the BRICS summit, that took place from Oct. 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia. Read also: John Kirby on why BRICS poses no real threat to the U.S.

What is the BRICS? How important is the grouping amid an increasingly tense world? What does an expanded BRICS mean for India? We explain.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS shouldn’t project itself as an alternative to global organizations, even as founding members like Russia and China try to expand the group to challenge the US-led global order.