The members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) on 24 August declared expansion of the grouping by welcoming six new countries into the fold.
Key points
- The decision was announced at the end of the 15th BRICS summit at Johannesburg, South Africa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the addition of new members would strengthen the outfit and increase confidence in the idea of multipolar world order.
- The decision to expand BRICS was taken 13 years after the organisation was last expanded with the addition of South Africa in 2010.
- As part of the first phase, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates will join Saudi Arabia and Iran to become full BRICS members in January 2024.
- The expansion of the group is part of its plan to build dominance and reshape global governance into a “multipolar” world order that puts voices of the Global South at the centre of the world agenda.
- The inclusion of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran and Egypt marks the first MENA representation in the group, and the inclusion of Argentina was championed by member Brazil.
- Addition of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE is of special significance as the three will represent both flanks of the energy-rich Gulf in the BRICS.
- Originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS was envisioned as a global-level outfit of major economies that are playing an increasingly important role in the post-Cold War world order.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated in the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue, on 24 August, 2023 in Johannesburg.
- The meeting saw participation from the guest countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, along with the leaders of the BRICS countries.
- Brazil, India, China and South Africa have expressed their “full support to Russia” as it is scheduled to host the BRICS Chairship in 2024 and hold the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan.
