BRICS 2026: India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit, with several world leaders and senior officials arriving in the national capital. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi are among the key leaders attending.
However, there’s an interesting fact. The neighbouring Pakistan wanted into BRICS at a moment when the grouping was preparing for its biggest expansion yet. Islamabad applied for a membership to join BRICS in 2023. Even though the bloc accepted Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates as four new members last year and became BRICS+, Islamabad’s bid remains stalled despite efforts to seek
support from Russia, China and other member countries.
In August 2023, the bloc announced the admission of Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, New Delhi’s veto power within the bloc has kept Islamabad outside of BRICS.
Asked whether Islamabad had been snubbed, Pakistan’s Foreign Office sought to play down the setback, saying the country had not yet made a formal request to join the grouping.
Three months later, Pakistan formally announced its application for BRICS membership for 2024. Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, said Islamabad was reaching out to BRICS members for support, particularly Russia, which was scheduled to hold the BRICS presidency in 2024.
Pakistan has described BRICS as an important organisation of developing countries and said its membership would allow Islamabad to contribute to international cooperation and inclusive multilateralism.
However, India’s position has emerged as a major hurdle for Pakistan’s membership bid. BRICS admission decisions are based on consensus among existing members, making the support of all member countries crucial.
Pakistan has also sought closer economic engagement with institutions linked to BRICS. According to Nikkei Asia report, Pakistan purchased a $580 million stake in the BRICS-backed New Development Bank in 2025, with the aim of diversifying its financing options and reducing dependence on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Despite these efforts, Pakistan has not been admitted to BRICS. The grouping has continued to expand and, under India’s 2026 chairship, comprises 11 members — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.
The expanded BRICS now represents nearly half of the world’s population and around 40 per cent of global GDP on a purchasing power parity basis, increasing its importance for countries seeking a larger role in the Global South.
