A Rapidly Growing Family
Originally a group of five major emerging economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—BRICS underwent a significant expansion. In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates officially joined the bloc. This was followed by Indonesia's
formal entry in 2025 and the creation of a new 'partner country' category, which includes nations like Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Malaysia, and Vietnam. This rapid growth has transformed the group, which now represents nearly half of the world's population and a larger share of global GDP than the G7 in purchasing power parity terms. However, the expansion isn't just about numbers; it's about a fundamental shift in the group's identity and ambitions.
The Core of the Debate: Economics or Politics?
The central debate around expansion revolves around the bloc's ultimate purpose. On one side, members like China and Russia are keen to position BRICS as a geopolitical counterweight to the Western-led world order. They see a larger BRICS as a vehicle to challenge the dominance of the US dollar, create alternative financial systems, and build a multipolar world where Washington's influence is diminished. On the other side, members like India and Brazil have traditionally been more cautious. They fear the group could become overtly anti-Western, which would complicate their own strategic relationships with the United States and Europe. India, in particular, has pushed for a more gradual expansion based on clear criteria, seeking to maintain the group's original focus on economic development and reform of global governance, rather than direct confrontation.
Why Countries Are Lining Up to Join
More than 40 countries have reportedly expressed interest in joining BRICS in some capacity. Their motivations are diverse. For many, it's about gaining access to new markets and investment opportunities outside of the traditional Western framework. The New Development Bank (NDB), the bloc's alternative to the World Bank and IMF, offers financing without the stringent conditions often imposed by Western institutions. For others, particularly nations like Iran that face Western sanctions, membership offers a degree of political and economic insulation. The broader appeal lies in joining a platform that champions the interests of the 'Global South,' offering a greater voice in a world they feel has long been dominated by the G7. This desire for a more multipolar order is a powerful driver attracting new applicants.
India's Strategic Balancing Act
As the host of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India finds itself in a pivotal but delicate position. New Delhi has consistently advocated for a version of BRICS that serves as a platform for South-South cooperation, focusing on sustainable development, trade, and technology. It is wary of the bloc becoming a tool for China's strategic ambitions or being defined solely by an anti-Western agenda. This puts India in a constant balancing act, navigating its ties with Western partners like the US in the Quad while also deepening its engagement with Russia and managing its complex relationship with China. For India, the goal is to shape BRICS into a force for a more inclusive and reformed global order, not to tear down the existing one. Its 2026 chairmanship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," reflects this development-first vision.
Implications for the Global Order
A larger, more assertive BRICS has significant implications. It accelerates the trend towards a more fragmented, multipolar world where the G7's economic and political dominance is no longer absolute. The bloc's growing share of the global economy, population, and energy production gives it considerable leverage. However, its expansion also introduces new internal challenges. With more members come more diverse and sometimes conflicting interests, making consensus harder to achieve on sensitive geopolitical issues like the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Skeptics argue that these internal rivalries and economic disparities will prevent BRICS from becoming a truly cohesive and effective alliance. Yet, even as a loose coalition, its very existence and growth signal a profound shift in global power dynamics that the world can no longer ignore.
