Washington: US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to countries that support the anti-American policies of the BRICS economic bloc, stating they will face an additional 10 percent tariff. Trump made the announcement via his Truth Social platform on Sunday, emphasizing that there will be "no exceptions" to this policy.

According to TRTworld.com, Trump's statements coincided with the 17th annual BRICS summit taking place in Rio de Janeiro, where leaders and representatives from the bloc criticized Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs. The BRICS nations, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, together account for about half of the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output. While the bloc is often divided on various issues, they found common ground in opposing Trump's tariff measures, which they claim risk harming the global economy.

The BRICS summit also addressed recent military strikes on Iran by Israel and the United States, offering symbolic backing to Iran, a fellow member. In April, Trump had threatened various countries with punitive duties, but later offered a reprieve due to a market sell-off. Despite this, Trump continues to warn of unilateral levies unless new deals are reached by August 1.

Notably, the BRICS summit declaration avoided directly criticizing the United States or Trump by name, likely as a concession to US allies such as Brazil, India, and Saudi Arabia. The BRICS bloc, initially conceived as a forum for fast-growing economies, is now seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US and Western European influence. However, its expansion to include countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia has made consensus on issues more challenging.

The summit also highlighted the need for regulation of artificial intelligence, asserting that the technology should not be monopolized by wealthy nations. The fast-growing commercial AI sector is currently dominated by US tech giants, although China and other countries are rapidly advancing in this area.

The political impact of this year's BRICS summit was diminished by the absence of significant figures, including China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who participated via video link. Despite these absences, Putin remarked that BRICS had become an essential player in global governance.