Recently, South Africa said it may impose 50% tariffs on cars imported from China and India. The move aims to protect domestic auto manufacturing and address rising import volumes, as reported.
The step has prompted renewed questions about unity inside BRICS and members’ mutual trust. Several members now appear to compete for favorable trade terms with the United States.
Separately, India invested about $10 billion in rare-earth mining to cut dependence on China, as reported. That investment and the tariff proposal illustrate diverging national priorities among bloc members.
These actions contrast with summit declarations of cooperation and show limits to practical bloc-wide integration (Ed. note: the tariff plan may complicate BRICS’ stated goals).
