The Original Push: A Counterweight to the West
From its inception as a term coined by an economist, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was seen as a grouping of emerging economies set to reshape the global order. The formal bloc aimed to provide an alternative to Western-dominated
institutions like the World Bank and IMF. For years, the core group of five focused on consolidating its internal mechanisms, like establishing the New Development Bank. The idea of expansion was always present but gained significant momentum when China, with strong support from Russia, began pushing for a rapid increase in members. Their goal was clear: to build a larger coalition to counter the G7 and amplify an anti-Western geopolitical agenda.
The First Wave: A Bigger, More Complex Bloc
The major turning point came at the 2023 summit, when six nations were invited to join: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Argentina. While Argentina later withdrew its application, the others officially became members, followed by Indonesia in early 2025. This move dramatically expanded the group's demographic and economic footprint, now representing nearly half the world's population and a significant portion of global GDP. It also brought major energy producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE into a bloc with major consumers like China and India, creating a powerful new energy architecture. However, this rapid growth also introduced new complexities and internal divisions.
The New Fault Line: India's Push for Guardrails
The key change in the debate is the move from a general discussion about expansion to a tense negotiation over the rules of entry. India, along with Brazil, grew concerned that a swift, unstructured expansion driven by Beijing would dilute their own influence and turn BRICS into a China-centric club. New Delhi's position is not to block expansion but to ensure it happens through a structured, consensus-based process with clear criteria for new members. India's vision, particularly during its 2026 chairmanship, is for BRICS to be a "non-West" coalition that preserves strategic autonomy for its members, rather than an explicitly "anti-West" bloc. This has put it at odds with the China-Russia axis, which favors faster growth to build a geopolitical counterweight.
A Pause for Thought: Hitting the Brakes?
The difficulties of managing the newly expanded group have become apparent. By mid-2026, reports emerged suggesting that BRICS had decided to suspend future expansion to manage the divergences among its now 11 members. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that while many countries are interested in joining, the focus needed to shift toward finding consensus within the existing framework. This suggests the 'membership drive' proved to be an obstacle, forcing the bloc to pause and consolidate rather than continue its rapid growth. The debate has now evolved to include creating new forms of engagement, like 'Partner Countries,' which allows for wider cooperation without full membership.
What It Means for India
As the host of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India is in a crucial position to shape the group's future. Its theme for the 2026 presidency—"Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"—sidesteps confrontational geopolitics and focuses on a development-first agenda for the Global South. For India, the challenge is to steer a diverse group, which now includes rivals like Iran and Saudi Arabia, toward concrete cooperation. New Delhi is using its leadership to push for reforms in global governance, increase the use of local currencies in trade, and establish frameworks for digital public infrastructure, positioning itself as a bridge between different geopolitical poles.
