BRICS seeks to expand its membership and become a champion of the "Global South," with over 40 countries expressing interest in joining the bloc to challenge Western dominance and address grievances related to abusive trade practices and neglect of poorer nations' development needs, among others. However, observers note that BRICS has a limited track record and may struggle to deliver on expectations.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa supports expanding the Brics group of emerging market powers and believes an expanded Brics would represent a diverse group of nations that share a common desire for a more balanced world order.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for South Africa to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit, where he will discuss issues of concern for the Global South and development, highlighting India's economic reforms and digital transactions.
The BRICS summit, which aims to establish a new world monetary order and give voice to underrepresented nations, is criticized for being a nebulous concept without concrete achievements and is primarily centered around China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for the expansion of BRICS membership, while Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the process to be accelerated, potentially boosting the group's global influence and countering the dominance of the Group of Seven. Several nations have shown interest in joining, with China taking the lead in pushing for expansion. However, India has advocated for a cautious approach due to concerns that the bloc may become influenced by its neighbor.
The New Development Bank (NDB) of BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is reviewing applications from 15 countries as it aims to diversify its geographical location, potentially adding five new countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which could provide funding and boost the bank's financial prospects while potentially reducing reliance on the US dollar.
BRICS, comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, now represents almost a third of global GDP and is surpassing the economic influence of the G7, with over 40 nations expressing interest in joining.
Six new countries, including Argentina, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Egypt, have become members of the BRICS alliance, as announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during the summit.
The BRICS New Development Bank is receiving applications from 15 countries to join, as it aims to lessen its dependence on the US dollar and prioritize local currency lending.
The BRICS summit is aiming to reduce reliance on the U.S. Dollar, as the coalition confirms new members including UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina, and discusses the possibility of a new payment system and currency backed by gold.
The BRICS alliance has inducted six new countries into the bloc during the summit in Johannesburg, and South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that a second phase of expansion will follow in the coming months.
South Africa is poised to expand its agricultural trade and globalize its economy as it enhances its position within the BRICS grouping, with the ZZ2 Farming Company using cutting edge technologies and tariff agreements to facilitate agricultural trade with other BRICS countries; the expansion of BRICS will create a powerful group of growth economies that will demand multilateral reforms, increase collaboration among growth economies, and enhance the use of regional currencies.
The BRICS 2023 Summit saw the expansion of the alliance with the addition of six countries, potentially leading to a shift in the global economic order and significant de-dollarization efforts, while notable absences by Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping raised concerns, and China and India made progress in their border talks.
India's adversarial relationship with China and its moves to block imports and investment from China could complicate its involvement in BRICS, as China seeks to expand the group and use it as a platform to challenge Western dominance.
The BRICS expansion and their de-dollarization efforts have been met with a relatively calm response from the US, Germany, and the European Union, emphasizing the importance of countries choosing partnerships based on their national interests.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the United Nations to reform in order to reflect the realities of the 21st century and ensure the representation of important voices, ahead of hosting the G20 summit in India. Modi also expressed support for the African Union to become a full member of the G20.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India's achievements during its presidency of the G20, highlighting its human-centric model of development and its response to the pandemic, which has gained recognition and appreciation from the international community; he also emphasized the importance of including the Global South and Africa in global affairs and addressing their needs. Additionally, Modi noted India's efforts in promoting renewable energy and the democratization of technology, while acknowledging the challenges of cybercrime and the need for global cooperation. He expressed confidence in India's future economic growth and its potential to become one of the top three economies in the world by 2030 and a developed country by 2047.
The G20 Summit in Delhi concluded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the event to highlight India's rise and remind world leaders of Mahatma Gandhi's legacy, while also achieving consensus on various issues including Russia's war, climate change action, and the inclusion of the African Union as a full member of the group.
African Union Chairperson Azali Assoumani thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support in including the 55-nation African Union in the G20, calling India the "fifth superpower of the world" and praising its power and influence; he also expressed Africa's openness to investment from countries other than China.
Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa recently announced that Saudi Arabia, along with five other nations, would be invited to join the BRICS organization, potentially causing fears of economic catastrophe in the U.S., although experts argue that this scenario is highly unlikely.
The BRICS group invited six new members, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, indicating a move towards energy dominance and diversification, but internal divides and strategic rivalries within the bloc may hinder its ability to challenge the current global energy order.
